c:rV.  ^yfu^^f^^:e^  ^^Z^^^ 


llrU't^t.*'^'^^ ^  jr^a/tfonua' 


557 


ON  THE  SUNNY  SHORE. 


ON  THE  SUISl'RY" 
SHORE 


BY  THE  AUTHOR  OF 

dUO    VADIS 

(HENRY   SIENKIEWICZ) 


Translated  from  the  Polish  by 

S.  C.  DE  SOISSONS 

Author  of  "A  Parisian  in  America,**   **  Boston  Artists,"  Etc. 


NEW  YORK 
R.  F.  FENNO  &  COP  ANY 

9  AND  II  KAST  i6TH  STREET 


Copyright,  1897 

BY 
IL  F.  FENNO  &  COMPANY 


„EN«V  MORSE  SreFHEM* 


On  The  Sunny  Shore 


ON  THE  SUNNY  SHORE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

In  an  open  carriage  the  painter  was 
sitting  beside  Pani  Elzen;  opposite  them 
were  her  twins,  Romulus  and  Remus.  He 
was  thinking  about  her  and  looking  at  the 
sea,  and  the  scenery  was  worth  looking  at. 
They  were  driving  from  Nice  to  Monte 
Carlo,  on  the  road  called  old  Cornishe, 
which  stretched  along  the  rocky  shore. 
To  the  left  the  view  was  stopped  by  high 
gray  bare  rocks;  to  the  right  the  blue 
depth  of  the  Mediterranean,  apparently 
lying  very  low,  looked  like  a  boundless 
precipice.  From  the  heights  on  which 
they  were  the  small  fishermen^s  boats  looked 


14138 


8  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

like  white  spots,  and  in  the  far  distance  it 
was  difficult  to  distinguish  the  sails  from 
seamews  flying  near  the  water. 

Pani  Elzen  was  leaning  on  Swirski^s 
shoulder;  and  was  looking  with  her  dreamy 
eyes  on  the  mirror-like  sea,  and  did  not 
seem  to  realize  what  she  was  doing. 

Swirski  felt  her  contact,  and  a  shiver 
of  delight  ran  through  him.  He  was 
thinking  that  if  Romulus  and  Eemus  were 
not  there  he  would  encircle  her  waist  and 
press  her  to  his  breast. 

But  in  the  meanwhile  he  was  afraid  that 
if  he  should  do  so  he  could  not  hesitate 
any  longer,  and  would  be  obliged  to 
propose. 

At  that  moment  Pani  Elzen  said: 

^^Will  you  stop  the  carriage,  please?'^ 

Swirski  did  so,  and  they  were  silent  for 
awhile. 

"What  a  calmness  after  the  noise  in 
Monte  Carlo  !^'  said  the  young  widow. 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  9 

"  I  hear  only  the  mnsic/^  answered  the 
painter.  ^^  It^s  probable  they  are  playing 
onboard  of  an  ironclad  in  Ville  Franche.^^ 

In  fact^  the  same  wind  which  bore  the 
soft  tones  of  the  music  from  time  to  time 
brought  the  perfume  of  orange  blossoms 
and  heliotrope. 

Beneath  one  could  see  the  roofs  of  villas 
scattered  on  the  shore,  hidden  in  the 
thicket  of  eucalyptu  is,  andbeside  them  large 
white  spots  formed  by  blossoming  almonds 
and  pink  palms.  Still  lower  there  was 
seen  the  blue  harbor  of  Ville  Franche, 
flooded  with  sunlight,  with  swarms  of 
large  vessels. 

The  life  seething  beneath  was  in  strange 
contrast  with  the  silent  deadness  of  the 
bare  mountains,  over  which  the  trans- 
parent sky,  without  a  cloud,  was  stretched. 
Here,  amid  those  quiet  rocks,  everything 
grew  small  and  disappeared.    The  car- 


10  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

riage  seemed  to  be  some  kind  of  bug, 
glaed  to  the  rocks. 

"Here  life  ends  entirely/^  said  Swirski, 
looking  on  the  bare  stones. 

Pani  Elzen  leaned  heavier  on  his 
shoulder  and  answered  with  sleepy  voice: 

"It  seems  to  me  it  begins  here.'' 

Swirski  answered  after  awhile  with  a 
certain  emotion: 

"  Maybe  you  are  right.'' 

And  he  looked  at  her  askance.  Pani 
Elzen  raised  her  eyes  to  his,  but  soon  cov- 
ered them  with  her  eyelids,  as  if  she  was 
confused.  Notwithstanding  that  opposite 
her  were  sitting  the  two  boys,  at  that 
moment  she  looked  like  a  young  girl 
whose  eyes  cannot  bear  the  first  glimmering 
of  love.  Then  they  were  both  silent;  only 
from  below  sounds  of  music  were  heard. 

In  the  meanwhile,  far  out  on  the  sea, 
near  the  entrance  to  the  harbor,  appeared 
a  white  cloud  of  smoke,  and  immediately 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  11 

the  quietness  was  disturbed  by  Eemus, 
who^  jumping  from  his  seat,  exclaimed: 

''  Tiens!  le  Fohmidabler 

Pani  Elzen  looked  angrily  at  her  young- 
est twin.  She  regretted  that  moment,  in 
which  every  word  would  decide  her  future. 

^^  Kemus/^  said  she,  ''veux4u  te  tairef' 

'^MaiSy  maman  c'est  FohmiddbUr 

^^What  a  dreadful  boy r 

''Pouliquoif' 

^^He  is  stupid,  but  this  time  he  is 
right,''  said  Romulus.  ^^  We  were  in  Ville 
Pranche  yesterday,  and  they  told  us  that 
the  whole  squadron  was  here  except  the 
Formidable,  which  they  expect  to-day.'' 

To  this  Eemus  answered  with  a  strong 
accentuation  on  the  last  syllable: 

*^  You  are  stupid  yourself!" 

They  began  to  fight.  Pani  Elzen 
knew  how  much  Swirski  was  disgusted 
with  the  way  the  boys  were  being  brought 


12  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

up  and  with  their  language.  She  ordered 
them  to  be  quiet,  and  then  said: 

^^I  told  you,  as  well  as  Mr.  Kresowicz, 
that  you  mustn^t  speak  any  other  language 
than  Polish. '^ 

Kresowicz  was  a  student  from  Zurich, 
and  had  consumption.  Pani  Elzen  found 
him  in  Kiviera  and  engaged  him  as  a  tutor 
for  her  children,  after  she  met  Swirski,  and 
especially  after  the  satirical  remark  of  the 
rich  Pan  Wiadrowski,  that  ^^respectable 
houses  do  not  educate  children  to  be  trav- 
eling salesmen!" 

In  the  meanwhile  the  Formidable 
spoiled  the  humor  of  the  impressive 
painter.  After  a  time  the  carriage,  rat- 
tling on  the  stones,  moved  further  on. 

"  It  is  you  who  asked  me  to  take  them 
with  us,"  said  Pani  Elzen  with  a  sweet 
voice.  ^^You  are  too  kind  to  them;  but 
we  must  come  here  some  moonlight  night. 
Will  you  come?" 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  13 

^'  Every  time  yon  wish  me  to,^^  answered 
Swirski.  ^^  There  is  no  moon  to-night 
and  your  dinner  will  be  very  late/^ 

^afs  true/'  said  Pani  Elzen,  ^^but  will 
you  tell  me  when  it  will  be  full  moon? 
What  a  pity  I  didn't  ask  you  to  dine  with 
me  alone.  During  the  moonlight  it  must 
be  charming  here,  although  to-night  my 
heart  palpitates  very  much.  If  you  could 
only  know  how  it  is  throbbing  just  now! 
Look  at  my  pulse;  one  can  see  it  even 
through  the  glove/' 

Here  she  showed  her  hand,  clad  in  a 
very  tidy  glove,  and  offered  it  to  Swirski. 
He  took  it  in  both  his  hands  and  looked. 

^^I  can't  see  it,"  said  he,  ^^but  I  will  be 
able  to  hear  it." 

And  bending  his  head,  he  put  his  ear 
on  the  buttons  of  the  glove,  pressed  the 
hand  very  close  to  his  face,  then  kissed  it, 
and  said : 

^^When  I  was  a  lad  I  used  to  catch 


14  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

birds,  and  their  hearts  throbbed  in  exactly 
the  same  way.  Your  pulse  is  like  a  cap- 
tive bird/^ 

She  smiled  almost  sadly  and  repeated: 

^^  Like  a  captive  bird?^'  After  awhile 
she  asked:  ^'  What  did  you  do  with  the 
captive  birds?'* 

*^I  was  very  much  attached  to  them, 
but  they  always  flew  away/* 

''  Bad  birdsr 

The  painter  spoke  further  with  a  certain 
emotion : 

^'  It  always  happened  that  way  in  my 
life.  I  searched  in  vain  for  a  bird  which 
would  like  to  remain  with  me;  finally  I 
lost  even  hope.** 

^^Xo!  You  must  keep  that/*  answered 
Pani  Elzen. 

Here  Swirski  said  to  himself  that,  as 
this  thing  began  so  long  ago,  it  must  be 
finished  as  it  will  please  God.  In  that 
moment  he  had  the  impression  of  a  man 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  15 

who  staffs  his  ears  with  his  fingers  and 
covers  his  eyes  with  his  hands  when  he 
wishes  to  plunge;  but  he  felt  that  it  must 
be  done,  and  that  there  was  no  time  for 
reflections. 

^'  Would  you  not  prefer  to  take  a  walk?" 
he  asked.  ^^  The  carriage  can  follow  us, 
and  then  we  will  have  more  freedom  to 
talk." 

^' Very  well,"  said  Pani  Elzen  with  de- 
termination. 

Swirski  touched  the  coachman  with  his 
stick,  the  carriage  stopped,  and  they  all 
alighted.  Eomulus  and  Kemus  rushed  for- 
ward, throwing  stones  over  the  precipices, 
while  Swirski  and  Pani  Elzen  remained 
behind.  But  evidently  there  was  some 
ill-fate  over  them  that  day,  for  before  they 
could  take  advantage  of  the  moment  they 
perceived  a  cavalier,  followed  by  a  groom, 
coming  from  Monaco  stop  where  Eomulus 
and  Remus  were. 


16  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

''It  is  De  Sinten/'  said  Pani  Elzen 
impatiently. 

''Yes,  I  recognize  him.*' 

In  fact,  they  noticed  the  head  of  a  horse, 
and  above  it  the  horse-like  face  of  the 
young  De  Sinten.  He  hesitated  at  ap- 
proaching, but  evidently  thought  that  if 
they  had  wished  to  be  alone  they  would 
not  have  taken  the  boys  with  them;  so  he 
jumped  from  his  horse,  and  handing  the 
reins  ^to  the  groom,  greeted  them  with  a 
bow. 

"  Good-morning, '*  said  Pani  Elzen,  a 
little  dryly.     "  It's  your  hour?'^ 

"Yes.  In  the  morning  I  shoot  pigeons 
with  Wilkisbey;  therefore  I  can't]  ride,  as 
it  might  disturb  my  pulse.  I  have  seven 
pigeons  more  than  he  already.  Do  you 
know  that  the  Formidable  is  coming  to 
Ville  Franche  to-day,  and  that  day  after 
to-morrow  the  admiral  gives  a  ball  on 
board  of  her?" 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  17 

^^  We  have  seen  her  coming  in/^ 

'^I  was  just  going  to  Ville  Franche  to 
see  an  officer,  a  friend  of  mine,  but  it^s  too 
late  now.  If  you  will  permit,  I  will  return 
with  you  to  Monte  Carlo/^ 

Pani  Elzen  assented  by  a  nod  of  her 
head  and  they  walked  on  together.  Sin- 
ten,  being  a  horseman  by  vocation,  imme- 
diately began  to  talk  about  his  hunter, 
which  he  had  been  riding. 

''I  purchased  him  from  Waxdorf,*^  said 
he.  '^  Waxdorf  lost  in  trente  et  quarante 
and  was  in  need  of  money.  He  played  on 
i7iverse  and  he  had  met  a  series  of  six,  but 
then  the  cards  changed."'  Then  he  turned 
to  the  horse,  saying:  ^^  Pure  Irish  blood, 
and  I  bet  my  neck  that  there  is  no  better 
hunter  in  the  whole  Cornishe,  only  he  is 
difficult  to  mount.  ^^ 

"Is  he  balky?'''  asked  Swirski. 

^^  Once  on  his  back  he  is  as  gentle  as  a 


18  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

child.  He  is  already  accustomed  to  me, 
but  you  could  not  mount  him/^ 

Swirski,  who  in  the  matter  of  sport  was 
very  vain,  said: 

^^  Why  not?" 

*^  Better  not  brag,  at  least  not  here  on 
the  precipice,"  exclaimed  Pani  Elzen. 

But  Swirski  was  already  near  the  horse, 
and  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  was  sitting 
in  the  saddle,  without  any  resistance  what- 
ever from  the  horse,  which,  though  per- 
haps balky,  thought  it  would  be  better 
not  to  cut  any  fancy  capers  on  the  prec- 
ipice. 

The  horse  and  rider  in  a  short  gallop 
disappeared  at  a  turn  of  the  road. 

''  He  is  sitting  quite  well,"  said  De  Sin- 
ten,  "but  he  will  spoil  my  horse.  Pre- 
cisely speaking,  there  are  no  roads  here 
for  riding." 

'^  Your  horse  proved  to  be  very  quiet," 
said  Pani  Elzen. 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  19 

^^  I  am  very  glad  of  it,  because  I  was 
afraid  there  would  be  an  accident/^ 

On  his  face,  however,  there  was  a  look 
of  embarrassment;  in  the  first  place,  be- 
cause what  he  said  about  difficulties  while 
mounting  the  horse  looked  like  a  lie,  and 
then  there  was  a  certain  antipathy  between 
him  and  Swirski. 

It  is  true  that  De  Sinten  never  had  any 
serious  plans  in  regard  to  Pani  Elzen,  but 
he  preferred  that  nobody  should  interfere 
with  those  he  had.  Besides,  a  few  days 
before  there  had  been  some  bitter  words 
exchanged  between  him  and  Swirski.  Sin- 
ten,  being  an  inveterate  aristocrat,  said 
once,  during  a  dinner  at  Pani  Elzen^s 
hotel,  that  '^  according  to  his  opinion  the 
man  begins  with  a  baron. ^^  To  that  Swir- 
ski, who  was  in  bad  humor,  asked:  ^^On 
which  side?'^  The  young  man  took  this 
question  very  much  to  heart,  and  began 
to  consult  Pan  Wiadrowski  and  Counselor 


20  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

Kladzki  as  to  how  he  should  act.  Then 
he  learned,  to  his  great  astonishment,  that 
Swirski  had  a  princely  crown  in  his  coat- 
of-arms.  The  knowledge  of  Swirs^i's  ex- 
traordinary strength  and  his  skill  in  the 
use  of  pistols  pacified  the  baron^s  nerves 
in  such  a  way  that  the  angry  words  left 
only  a  dislike  in  both  hearts.  And  then, 
since  Pani  Elzen  seemed  to  prefer  Swirski, 
this  dislike  became  purely  platonic. 

The  painter,  however,  felt  it  the  more 
of  the  two.  Nobody  thought  that  the 
whole  aifair  would  end  in  matrimony,  but 
among  acquaintances  they  began  to  talk 
about  his  sentiment  for  Pani  Elzen.  On 
his  part  he  suspected  that  Sinten  and  his 
companions  were  laughing  at  him.  It  is 
true  they  did  not  betray  themselves  by 
even  one  word,  but  just  the  same  Swirski 
thought  so,  and  he  resented  it,  principally 
for  Pani  Elzen^s  sake. 

Therefore  he  was  glad  that,  thanks  to 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  21 

the  peaceful  disposition  of  the  horse.  Sin- 
ten  appeared  to  be  a  man  who,  even  with- 
out any  reason,  would  say  things  not  true; 
so  on  his  return  he  said: 

^'  Very  good  horse,  and  he  is  good  be- 
cause he  is  as  quiet  as  a  lamb/^ 

Then  he  dismounted  and  they  walked 
on  together.  Pani  Elzen,  in  order  to  get 
rid  of  Sinten,  began  to  talk  about  art,  of 
which  the  young  sportsman  had  not  even 
the  slightest  idea.  But  he  preferred  to 
tell  them  the  gossip  of  the  gambling 
establishment,  and  he  also  congratulated 
her  on  the  good  luck  she  had  had  last  night. 
She  listened  with  constraint,  being  ashamed 
to  be  told  before  Swirski  that  she  had  par- 
ticipated in  the  game.  Her  embarrass- 
ment increased  all  the  more  when  Eomulus 
said: 

''Maman,  you  told  us  that  you  should 
never  gamble.  Give  each  of  us  a  louis  for 
it,  will  you?'' 


22  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

She  answered  as  if  not  talking  to  any 
one  personally: 

'^  I  was  looking  for  the  Counselor  Kladz- 
ki  to  invite  him  to  dinner  to-day:  then  we 
enjoyed  a  little  game/^ 

^^Give  each  of  us  a  louis/^  repeated 
Eomulus. 

^^Or  buy  us  a  small  roulette/^  added 
Eemus. 

^^Don^t  tease  me.  Let  us  go  to  the 
carriage.    Au  revoir,  Monsieur  de  Sin  ten.'' 

^^At  seven r 

^^At  seven.'' 

Then  they  separated,  and  after  awhile 
Swirski  again  found  himself  sitting  beside 
the  beautiful  widow;  but  this  time  they  were 
occupying  the  front  seat,  because  they 
wished  to  look  at  the  sunset. 

^'  They  say  that  Monte  Carlo  is  better 
sheltered  than  Mentone,"  said  the  widow; 
^^but  how  it  tires  me! — this  continual 
noise,  the  movement,  and  the  acquaintances 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  23 

which  one  must  unwillingly  make.  Some- 
times I  wish  I  could  run  away  from  here 
and  spend  the  rest  of  the  winter  in  some 
quiet  corner  where  I  would  see  only  people 
whom  I  wish  to  see.  Which  place  do  you 
like  the  bestr 

*^  I  like  St.  Eaphael  very  much.^^ 

^^  Yes,  but  it  is  so  far  from  Nice/^  she 
answered  in  a  soft  voice,  ''  and  you  have 
your  studio  in  Nice." 

A  moment  of  silence  followed,  then 
Pani  Elzen  asked  again: 

'^How  about  Antibes?" 

^^  Thaf s  true.  I  had  almost  forgotten 
Antibes." 

^^It^s  so  near  Nice.  You  must  stay 
after  dinner;  then  we  can  decide  which 
will  be  the  best  place  to  go  to." 

He  looked  into  the  depth  of  her  eyes 
and  asked : 

^^  Would  you  truly  like  to  escape  from 
the  people?" 


34  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

^^Let  ns  speak  frankly/^  she  answered. 
"  In  your  question  I  feel  a  doubt.  You 
suspect  that  I  am  talking  in  order  to  show 
myself  better,  or  at  least  less  superficial 
than  I  am.  You  are  right  to  think  that 
way,  for  you  see  me  in  the  whirlpool  of 
society  continually.  But  I  will  say  that 
very  often  one  follows  a  certain  movement 
only  for  the  reason  that  he  is  pushed  in 
that  direction  against  his  will,  and  must 
bear  the  consequences  of  his  previous  life. 
As  for  me,  maybe  there  is  in  me  the  feeble- 
ness of  a  woman,  who,  without  somebody^s 
help,  lacks  energy? — ^granted.  But  it 
does  not  prevent  me  from  longing  very 
sincerely  for  some  peaceful  corner  and 
quiet  life.  They  may  say  what  they 
please,  but  we  are  like  climbing  plants — 
when  they  can^t  climb  they  crawl  on  the 
ground;  therefore  the  people  are  very 
often  mistaken  in  thinking  that  we  crawl 
voluntarily.     By  this  crawling  I  under- 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  25 

stand  merely  an  empty  life  without  any 
higher  thoughts.  But  how  can  I  defend 
myself  ?  Somebody  asks  his  friend  to  be  in- 
troduced to  me,  then  he  pays  me  a  visit — 
the  second,  asks,  and  so  on.  What  can  I 
do?  Eefuse  him?  Why,  no!  Therefore 
I  invite,  but  only  for  this  reason,  that  the 
more  people  I  have  in  my  drawing-room 
the  more  they  make  themselves  indiffer- 
ent, and  in  that  way  nobody  can  get  an 
exclusive  position. ^^ 

"  You  are  right  in  that,^^  said  Swirski. 

^^  You  see,  in  that  way  there  is  created 
a  stream  of  worldly  life,  of  which  I  can^t 
get  rid  of  by  myself,  and  which  often  tires 
and  disgusts  me  so  much  that  I  almost  cry 
from  weariness.  ^^ 

^^  I  believe  you.^^ 

^^You  ought  to  believe  me;  but  you 
must  believe  this  also — that  I  am  better 
and  less  frivolous  than  I  appear.  When 
any  doubts  arise,  or  when  people  talk  of 


26  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

me,  you  must  think  that  I  possess 
some  good  qualities.  If  you  will  not 
think  that  way  I  shall  be  very  unhappy. ^^ 

*^I  give  you  my  word  that  I  always 
prefer  to  think  the  kindliest  of  you.^' 

*^It  ought  to  be  so/'  she  answered  in  a 
soft  voice,  "because,  even  if  everything 
that  is  good  in  me  were  deadened,  it  would 
regenerate  in  your  company.  It  depends 
so  much  with  whom  one  lives.  I  would 
like  to  say  something,  but  I  am  afraid.  ^^ 

"Tell  mer 

"  But  you  mustn't  accuse  me  of  exalta- 
tion or  of  anything  worse,  for  I  am  not 
exalted.  I  am  talking  as  a  well-balanced 
woman,  who  states  only  that  which  exists 
though  wondering  a  little  at  the  fact.  Well, 
then,  with  you  I  find  my  perverse  soul  all 
quiet  and  sunny,  the  same  as  when  I  was  a 
young  girl,  although  to-day  I  am  an  old 
woman.     I  am  thirty-five  years  old.^^ 

Swirski  looked  at  her  with  a  beaming, 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  27 

almost  enamoured  face ;  then  he  slowly 
raised  her  hand  to  his  lips,  after  which  he 
said: 

^^Ah!  beside  me  you  are  still  a  young 
girl,  for  I  am  forty-eight — here  is  my 
picture  r^ 

Having  said  this  he  pointed  with  his 
finger  to  the  sunset. 

And  she  looked  toward  that  light,  which 
was  reflected  in  her  radiant  eyes;  then  she 
spoke  softly,  as  to  herself: 

"Great,  marvelous,  dear  sun!^^ 

Then  followed  a  silence,  while  a  quiet 
red  light  fell  on  their  faces.  In  fact, 
the  great  and  marvelous  sun  was  setting, 
and  underneath  it  the  light,  transparent 
clouds  shone  like  gold. 

Near  the  shore  the  sea  was  plunged  in 
shadow,  but  further  out  on  the  deep 
there  was  a  great  gleam,  while  beneath  on 
the  lilac  background  of  the  air  the  motion- 
less cypresses  were  standing  out. 


28  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 


CHAPTEK  II. 

The  guests  invited  by  Pani  Elzen  gath- 
ered in  the  H6tel  de  Paris  at  seven  o'clock 
in  the  evening.  They  had  given  her  a 
separate  dining-room,  with  a  small  draw- 
ing-room attached,  in  which  the  coffee 
was  served  after  the  dinner.  The  lady 
announced  ^^an  informal  affair/^  but  the 
men  did  not  know  what  to  think  about  it, 
and  they  came  in  evening  dress  and  white 
cravats.  She  was  dressed  in  a  pale-pink 
low-cut  dress,  and  looked  quite  young  and 
fresh  with  her  delicate  face  and  small 
head  that  so  enchanted  Swirski.  Her 
ample  shoulders  were  white  and  transpar- 
ent, like  mother-of-pearl,  while  from  her 
eyes  beamed  the  happiness  which  she  felfc. 

Among  the  guests,  besides  Swirski  and 
De  Sinten,  were  the  old  Counselor  Kladz- 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  29 

ki,  with  his  nephew  Zygmund,  a  young 
nobleman,  not  very  polished,  but  auda- 
cious, whose  eyes  shone  too  brightly  to 
suit  PaniElzen;  Prince  Walery  Porzecki, 
a  man  forty  years  old,  with  a  large 
face,  bald  head,  and  the  pointed  skull 
of  an  Aztec;  Pan  Wiadrowski,  rich  and 
malicious,  owner  of  petroleum  wells  in 
Galicia,  art  lover  and  dilettante;  and 
Kresowicz,  a  student  and  temporary  tutor 
of  Romulus  and  Remus.  Pani  Elzen  had 
invited  him  because  Swirski  liked  his 
fanatical  face. 

The  young  hostess  had  always  wished, 
and  now  more  than  ever,  to  have,  as  sho 
expressed  it,  *  ^  an  intellectual  salon/^  But 
in  the  beginning  she  could  not  turn  the 
conversation  from  local  gossip  and  inci- 
dents of  the  gambling  house  which  Wi- 
adrowski called  ^*Slav,^'  reasoning  that 
there  one  could  hear  more  Slav  spoken  than 
any  other  language.     Wiadrowski  spent 


30  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

his  time  in  Monte  Carlo  laughing  at  his 
own  countrymen  and  other  younger  Slav 
brothers.  It  was  his  hobby;  therefore  he 
began  to  tell  that  two  days  ago  he  had 
seen  in  Cercle  de  la  Mediterranee,  at  six 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  only  seven  people, 
and  all  were  Slavs. 

^' We  are  born  that  way,^  said  he,  turn- 
ing to  the  hostess.  "  Other  people  count 
thus:  Nine,  ten,  eleven,  twelve,  etc.; 
but  every  true  Slav  will  say:  Nine,  ten, 
jack,  queen,  king.  Yes!  The  cream  of 
our  society  comes  to  Monte  Carlo,  and  here 
one  makes  the  cheese  out  of  it.'^ 

To  that  Prince  Walery,  with  the  pointed 
skull,  pronounced,  with  the  voice  of  a 
man  who  discovers  unknown  facts,  that 
every  abused  passion  is  perilous,  but  that 
to  Cercle  de  la  M6diterranee  belong  many 
distinguished  foreigners  whose  acquaint- 
ance is  valuable  and  useful.  One  can 
serve  one's  country  everywhere.      Three 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  31 

days  ago  he  had  met  there  an  Englishman, 
Chamberlain's  friend,  and  this  English- 
man asked  him  about  Poland,  and  he,  the 
prince,  wrote  him  on  a  visiting  card  the 
political  and  economical  situation  in  gen- 
eral and  the  social  aspiration  in  particular. 
This  card  most  assuredly  will  reach,  if  not 
Chamberlain's  hands,  because  he  is  not 
here,  at  least  Salisbury's,  which  will 
be  still  better.  Probably  they  will  meet 
Salisbury  at  the  ball  which  the  French 
admiral  is  going  to  give.  During  this 
ball  the  Formidable  will  be  lighted  a 
giorno  with  electricity. 

Kresowicz,  who  was  not  only  consump- 
tive, but  also  a  man  who  belonged  to  the 
red  party,  and  hated  the  society  in 
which,  being  the  tutor  of  Eomulus  and 
Eemus,  he  was  obliged  to  live,  began  to 
laugh  sneeringly,  like  a  hyena,  on  hearing 
about  the  visiting  card.  Pani  Elzen,  not 
wishing  to  pay  any  attention  to  him,  said: 


32  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

^^  At  any  rate,  people  here  do  marvels. 
I  hear  that  the  whole  way  from  Nice  to 
Marseilles  will  be  lighted  by  electricity." 

^^The  engineer  Ducloz  was  preparing 
snch  a  plan,"  said  Swirski,  "but  he  died 
a  couple  of  months  ago.  He  was  such  an 
enthusiastic  electrician  that  in  his  will 
he  asked  to  have  his  tomb  lighted  with 
electricity." 

*^  On  his  tombstone,"  said  Wiadrowski, 
"he  ought  to  have  the  inscription/ Eter- 
nal rest  give  him,  0  Lord,  and  may  elec- 
tricity light  him  for  ages  on  ages. 
Amenr" 

But  the  old  Counselor  Kladzki  scolded 
him  for  joking  on  serious  things;  then  he 
attacked  the  whole  Riviera.  Everything 
here  is  pretext  and  hlagucy  beginning  with 
the  people  and  ending  with  things.  Every- 
where one  meets  marquises,  counts  and 
viscounts,  but  one  must  look  out  that  they 
do  not  steal  the  handkerchief  from  one^s 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  33 

pocket.  It  is  the  same  with  comfort;  in 
his  office  in  Wieprzowiski  one  could  put 
five  such  small  rooms  as  the  one  they  give 
Mm  in  the  hotel.  The  doctors  sent  him 
to  Nice  to  get  fresh  air,  and  the  Prome- 
nade des  Anglais  smells  like  a  Jewish  back- 
yard— his  nephew  Zygmund  can  testify  to 
it.  But  Zygmund^s  eyes  were  looking  at 
Pani  Elzen^'s  shoulders,  and  he  did  not 
hear  anything. 

^^You  must  go  to  Bordighieri/^  said 
Swirski.  ^^  The  Italian  dirt  is  artistic  at 
least.'' 

''  But  you  are  living  in  Nice,  just  the 
same.'' 

^'Because  I  can't  find  a  studio  on  the 
other  side  of  Ventimigli.  But  if  I  should 
change  I  would  go  to  Antibes." 

Here  he  looked  at  Pani  Elzen,  who 
smiled  and  dropped  her  eyes. 

After  a  while,  however,  wishing  to  give 
to  the  conversation  an  artistic  tendency. 


34  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

she  began  to  talk  about  Eumpelmayer^s  ex- 
hibition and  about  some  new  pictures  which 
she  had  seen  two  days  ago,  and  which  the 
French  journalist  Krauss  called  iynpres- 
sionistico-decada7its,  Wiadrowski  raised 
his  voice  and  asked  with  the  tone  of 
Pjrron: 

^^Who  are  decadants,  anyhow?" 
^'One  might  say,"  answered  Swirski, 
^^  that  they  are  people  who  prefer  the  dif- 
ferent sauces  with  which  the  art  is  served 
to  the  art  itself." 

But  the  Prince  Porzecki  was  vexed  at 
Kladzki^s  opinion  of  marquises,  counts 
and  viscounts.  '^  Even  the  rascals  coming 
here  belong  to  the  higher  species  of  ras- 
cals, and  they  are  not  satisfied  with  steal- 
ing a  handkerchief.  One  can  meet  here 
great  pirates.  But  besides  these  there 
come  here  the  most  refined  and  richest 
people,  and  it  is  very  proper  that  high 
finances  meet  here  high  birth,  because  in 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  35 

that  way  the  world  becomes  polished! 
Pan  Kladzki  ought  to  read  novels  like 
^Idylle  Tragique/  and  he  would  persuade 
himself  that  besides  suspicious  characters 
one  meets  here  those  of  the  highest  social 
rank— such  as  will  be  met  with  on  the 
Formidable.'' 

They  began  to  talk  about  '^  Idylle  Tra- 
gique/'  Young  Kladzki,  speaking  about 
the  hero  of  that  novel,  made  a  remark  that 
he  was  stupid  in  giving  up  a  woman  for  a 
friend,  and  that  he,  Kladzki,  would  not 
do  it — not  for  ten  friends — but  would  for 
his  own  brother.  Wiadrowski  interrupted 
him,  the  French  novels  being  his  other 
hobby: 

"What  makes  me  very  angry/'  said  he, 
"  is  this  selling  of  dyed  foxes  instead  of 
natural  ones.  If  those  gentlemen  are 
realists  they  must  write  the  trnth.  Have 
they  paid  any  attention  to  their  heroines? 
The  tragedy  begins  by  the  lady  fighting 


36  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

with  herself  and  continuing  to  struggle 
most  dreadfully  through  half  the  volume, 
and  from  the  first  page  I  know,  so  help  me 
God,  how  it  will  end.  How  tedious  it  is, 
and  how  often  it  is  repeated!  I  admit 
that  fast  women  must  be  tolerated,  and 
that  they  have  certain  rights  to  literature 
also,  but  they  must  not  sell  me  a  fast 
woman  for  a  tragical  princess,  when  I 
know  that  such  souls  have  had  lovers  be- 
fore the  tragedy  began  and  will  have  them 
after  the  tragedy  ends.  They  will  struggle 
again  as  before  and  everything  will  finish 
in  the  same  way.  What  a  falsehood,  what 
an  atrophy  of  moral  sense  and  the  sense  of 
verity!  And  fco  think  that  in  our  country 
they  read,  that  they  receive  as  good  mer- 
chandise and  accept  as  if  they  were  dramas 
those  farces  of  boudoirs — and  that  they 
take  them  so  seriously!  In  that  way  the 
difference  between  the  honest  woman  and 
the  fast  woman  diminishes;  and  the  right 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  37 

of  citizenship  is  given  to  cuckoos  which 
do  not  have  their  own  nests.  Then  such 
a  French  gilding  is  put  on  our  dolls,  and 
they  do  anything  under  the  flag  of  such 
authors!  In  such  books  there  are  neither 
principles,  characters,  sentiment  of  duty, 
nor  moral  sense — nothing  but  false  aspi- 
rations—  a  psychological  conundrum  !^^ 
Wiadrowski  was  too  intelligent  not  to 
understand  that  in  talking  in  that  way  he 
was  throwing  a  stone  at  Pani  Elzen;  but 
he  was  a  thoroughly  malicious  man,  and 
he  spoke  thus  on  purpose.  Pani  Elzen 
listened  to  his  words  with  considerable 
dissatisfaction,  although  there  was  much 
truth  in  his  speech.  Swirski  was  anxious 
to  answer  him  sharply,  but  he  understood 
it  would  not  be  proper  to  take  Wiadrow- 
ski^s  words  as  if  he  had  referred  to  some 
one  personally;  therefore  he  preferred  to 
take  up  the  whole  matter  from  another 
point  of  view. 


38  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

^^As  for  me/^  said  he,  *^^  I  have  noticed 
that  in  French  novels  all  women  are 
sterile.  Elsewhere,  when  two  people  are 
in  love,  in  a  legitimate  or  illegitimate  way, 
the  consequence  of  the  love  is  a  child,  but 
here  nobody  has  children.  How  strange 
it  is!  Because  those  gentlemen  who  write 
the  novels  think  that  the  love  can  remain 
unpunished.  ^^ 

^^Such  society!  such  literature !^\  an- 
swered old  Kladzki.  ^^  It  is  known  that 
the  population  is  diminishing  in  France. 
Among  the  higher  classes  a  child  is 
rare!^^ 

^^Mais  dest  plus  co^nynode  et  plus  ele- 
gmit/'  said  Sinten. 

But  Kresowicz,  who  had  before  sneered, 
now  said: 

^^  It^s  the  literature  of  slothful  people, 
and  it  must  perish  with  them.^^ 

^^What  do  you  say?"  asked  Sinten. 

The  student  turned  his  passionate  face 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  39 

to  him:  ^^  I  say  it^s  the  literature  of  sloth- 
ful people/^ 

^^  Every  class  of  people  has  its  duty  and 
its  pleasures/^  said  he.  '^  I  have  two  pas- 
sions— politics  and  photography.^^ 

The  dinner  was  almost  ended,  and  a 
quarter  of  an  hour  later  they  all  passed  to 
the  little  salon,  where  the  coffee  was 
served.  Pani  Elzen  lighted  a  thin  cigar- 
ette, and  leaning  comfortably  in  an  arm- 
chair, crossed  her  feet.  It  seemed  to  her 
that  a  certain  nonchalance  ought  to  please 
Swirski,  who  was  an  artist  and  a  Bohe- 
mian. 

But  as  she  was  comparatively  short 
and  had  large  hips,  in  the  act  of  crossing 
her  feet  her  dress  was  raised  too  high. 
Young  Kladzki  immediately  dropped  a 
match  and  began  to  search  on  the  floor, 
and  he  continued  looking  for  it  so  long 
that  his  uncle  was  obliged  to  whisper  to 
bim  angrily; 


4:0  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

^^What  do  you  imagine?    "Where  are 

your 

And  the  young  nobleman  stretched  him- 
self and  whispered  back: 

^^  That's  the  trouble.  I  don^t  know 
where  I  am.^^ 

Pani  Elzen  knew  by  experience  that 
even  well-bred  men,  when  they  have  the 
smallest  opportunity,  become  rough,  espe- 
cially in  the  presence  of  women  without 
protection.  This  time,  it  is  true,  she  did 
not  see  young  Kladzki^s  movement,  but 
having  noticed  the  disdainful  and  almost 
cynical  smile  with  which  he  answered  his 
uncle,  she  was  sure  he  was  talking  about 
her.  And  she  felt  a  contempt  for  all  the 
company,  with  the  exception  of  Swirski 
and  Kresowicz,  whom  she  suspected  of 
being  in  love  with  her,  notwithstanding 
his  hatred  for  the  women  of  her  social 
rank.  But  she  almost  had  an  attack  of 
hysterics  that  evening  on  account  of  Wia- 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  41 

drowski's  talk,  because  it  seemed  that  he 
wished  to  poison  her  every  spoonful  of  cof- 
fee in  exchange  for  her  good  dinner.  He 
spoke  generally  and  apparently  objectively 
about  women,  not  overstepping  the  limits 
of  decency,  bat  at  the  bottom  of  his  talk 
there  was  not  only  cynicism  but  also  plenty 
of  allusions  to  Pani  Elzen^'s  character  and 
her  social  standing — and  those  allusions 
were  offensive  and  very  unpleasant,  espe- 
cially in  Swirski's  presence,  who  suffered 
very  much  on  account  of  it. 

Therefore  a  load  fell  from  her  heart 
when  finally  the  guests  departed  and  the 
painter  alone  remained. 

^^Ah!^^  she  exclaimed,  breathing  deeply, 
^^I  feel  the  beginning  of  a  headache,  and 
I  don't  know  what  is  the  matter  with 
myself !'' 

^^Have  they  tired  you?'' 

"  Yes,  yes — more  than  tired!'' 

^^  Why  do  you  invite  them?^' 


42  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

And,  as  if  she  could  not  control  her 
nerves,  she  approached  him  feverishly: 

''  Sit  down  and  do  not  move!  I  don't 
know — perhaps  you  will  think  ill  of  me, 
but  I  need  it  like  medicine.  That  way! 
To  remain  that  way  with  an  honest  man! 
That  way!'' 

Having  said  this  she  sat  beside  him,  put 
her  head  on  his  shoulder,  and  closed  her 
eyes. 

^^ Yes,  only  a  moment  that  way!  only  a 
moment!'' 

Suddenly  her  eyelids  were  moistened 
with  tears,  but  she  pressed  Swirski's  lips 
with  her  finger,  in  order  to  prevent  him 
from  speaking  and  in  order  to  remain 
silent  herself. 

His  heart  throbbed,  being  always  as  soft 
as  wax  when  he  saw  a  woman  crying.  He 
was  pleased  with  the  confidence  she  placed 
\x\  biiii,    51^  understood  that  fh^  4^ci8iv§ 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  43 

moment  had  come;  therefore,  encircling 
her  waist  with  his  arm,  he  said: 

'^Eemain  with  me  forever;  give  me  the 
right  over  you/^ 

Pani  Elzen  did  not  answer;  only  from 
her  eyes  fell  big,  quiet  tears. 

''Be  mine!""  repeated  Swirski. 

Then  she  threw  her  hand  on  his  other 
shoulder  and  nestled  to  him  as  a  child 
nestles  to  its  mother. 

And  Swirski,  having  bent,  kissed  her 
forehead;  then  he  began  to  wipe  her  tears 
with  kisses,  and  gradually  the  flame  was 
seizing  him;  after  awhile  he  took  her  in 
his  arms,  pressed  her  to  his  breast,  and 
touched  her  mouth  with  his  lips. 

But  she  defended  herself. 

^'No!  no !'^  she  said  breathlessly,  ^^yon 
are  not  like  the  others.  No!  no!  Have 
mercy  !'^ 

Swirski  held  her  in  his  arms;  in  that 
jTioment  h^  w^^  exactly  like  the  others^ 


44:  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

but  happily  for  Pani  Elzen  a  soft  knocking 
at  the  door  was  heard. 

They  separated  immediately,  jumping  in 
opposite  directions. 

^^  Who  is  there ?^^  asked  Pani  Elzen  im- 
patiently. 

Kresowicz^s  gloomy  face  appeared  in  the 
doorway. 

^^  Excuse  me/^  said  he  with  trembling 
voice,  ^^Komulus  is  coughing,  and  I  am 
afraid  he  has  the  fever.  I  thought  it 
would  be  proper  to  let  you  know  about  it.:*^ 

Swirski  arose. 

''  Shall  I  go  for  a  doctor^ 

But  Pani  Elzen  had  already  recovered 
her  coolness. 

^^  Thank  you,^'  said  she;  ^^if  it  be  nec- 
essary we  can  send  some  one  from  the 
hotel;  but  first  I  must  see  the  child. 
Thank  you!  I  must  be  going.  There- 
fore, until  to-morrow,  thank  you!^^| 

Having  said  this,  she  stretched  toward 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  45 

him  her  hand,  which  Swirski  raised  to  his 
mouth. 

'^  Until  to-morrow  and  every  day,  au 
revoir r 

Pani  Elzen,  having  remained  with 
Kresowicz,  looked  at  him  inquiringly. 

^^  What  is  the  matter  with  Eomulus?^^ 

He  became  still  paler,  and  answered 
almost  roughly: 

^^  Nothing  r 

''  What  do  you  mean?^^  asked  she,  frown- 
ing. 

^^It  means  that  you  must  chase  me  out, 
because  I  will  become  mad!'' 

And  he  went  out. 

Pani  Elzen  stood  for  awhile  with  the 
lightning  of  anger  in  her  eyes  and  with 
frowning  eyebrows,  but  gradually  her 
forehead  became  smooth.  In  fact,  she 
was  thirty-five  years  old,  and  here  was  a 
new  proof  that  until  now  nobody  could 
resist  her  charms. 


46  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

After  awhile  she  approached  the  mirror 
as  if  looking  for  an  affirmation  of  that 
thought. 

In  the  meanwhile  Swirski  was  returning 
to  Nice  in  an  empty  railroad  car,  contin- 
ually raising  to  his  face  his  hands,  which 
were  scented  with  heliotrope.  He  felt 
uneasy,  though  happy,  and  the  blood 
rushed  to  his  head  when  he  smelled  Pani 
Elzen's  favorite  perfume. 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  47 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  next  day,  however,  when  he  awak- 
ened his  head  was  heavy,  as  if  he  had  spent 
the  night  in  drinking;  and  there  was  a  great 
uneasiness  in  his  heart.  When  daylight 
falls  upon  the  theatrical  scenery,  then  that 
which  during  the  evening  looked  enchant- 
ing appears  to  be  a  daub.  The  same  hap- 
pens in  life.  Swirski  had  not  met  with 
anything  unexpected.  He  knew  that  he 
was  drifting  toward  what  happened  the 
preceding  night  and  that  he  must  eventu- 
ally reach  it,  but  now  when  everything 
was  ended,  an  incomprehensible  fear  seized 
him.  He  thought  yesterday  that  he  could 
retreat,  but  now  it  was  too  late.  In  vain 
he  repeated  to  himself  that  there  was  no 


48  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

time  for  reasoning.  Different  objections, 
which  he  had  made  to  himself,  to  Pani 
Elzen,  and  especially  to  marriage  with 
her,  returned  to  his  mind  with  increased 
force.  The  voice  which  before  whispered 
constantly  into  his  ear,  '^  Don^'t  be  an  ass!'^ 
now  began  to  shout,  *^You  are  an  assF^ 
And  he  could  silence  it  neither  by  argu- 
ments nor  by  repeating  ^*^It  is  doneT^ 
because  common  sense  said  to  him  that  a 
stupid  thing  had  been  done,  and  the  cause 
of  it  was  his  feebleness. 

And  at  this  thought  he  was  ashamed. 
Were  he  a  youngster  he  could  excuse  him- 
self by  youth;  had  he  just  met  this  lady 
on  the  Kiviera,  and  heard  nothing  about 
her,  he  would  be  justified,  for  he  would  not 
have  known  her  character  and  her  heart. 
It  is  true  he  had  seen  her  seldom,  but  he 
had  heard  enough  about  her,  because  in 
Warsaw  they  talked  about  her  more  than 
about    anybody  else.      They  called   her 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  49 

"  Wonder  -  wife/^  and  the  local  gossips 
used  to  sharpen  their  witty  tongues  on  her 
as  a  knife  is  sharpened  on  a  stone,  which, 
however,  did  not  stop  the  men  from  crowd- 
ing her  drawing-room.  The  women,  al- 
though more  hostile  toward  her,  received 
her  also,  on  account  of  numerous  relation- 
ships by  which  she  was  bound  to  society 
people.  Some  of  them,  especially  those 
who  were  interested  that  public  opinion 
should  not  be  too  severe,  even  defended 
the  beautiful  widow.  Others,  less  indul- 
gent, did  not  dare  to  close  the  door  against 
her,  because  they  did  not  wish  to  be  the 
first  in  doing  it.  A  certain  local  play- 
writer,  hearing  some  one  calling  Pani 
Elzen  a  ^^  demi-monde,^'  said  that  she  was 
neither  ^^the  whole  world  nor  half  a 
world,  but  rather  three-quarters  of  an  hour 
into  the  world/^  But  as  in  larger  cities 
everything  smoothes,  therefore  Pani  El- 
zen's  situation  was  smoothed  also.      Her 


50  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

friends  used  to  say:  ^^It's  true  that  one 
cannot  ask  from  Helena  extraordinary 
virtues,  but  she  has  her  good  sides/^  And 
unknowingly  they  granted  her  the  right 
to  be  more  free  than  the  others.  Some- 
times they  mentioned  that  before  her  hus- 
band^s  death  she  had  not  lived  with  him 
for  several  years;  sometimes  they  muttered 
that  she  was  bringing  up  Komulus  and 
Kemus  to  be  clowns,  or  that  she  did  not 
care  about  them  at  all;  were  Pani  Elzen 
less  beautiful  and  less  rich  nobody  would 
have  paid  any  attention  to  such  malicious 
remarks.  But  the  men  did  not  restrain 
themselves  in  their  conversation  about 
her.  Even  those  who  were  in  love  with 
her  attacked  her  through  jealousy;  the 
only  silent  one  was  he  who  appeared  to  be 
more  lucky  than  the  others.  In  general, 
however,  the  malignity  went  so  far  that 
they  said  that  Pani  Helena  had  one  lover 
for  her  sojourn  in  the  city  during  the 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  51 

winter  and  another  for  the  summer  sea- 
son. Swirski  knew  about  all  this.  He 
knew  even  more  than  others,  because  a 
certain  Mrs.  Bronish,  with  whom  he  was 
acquainted  in  Warsaw,  being  a  good  friend 
of  the  beautiful  widow,  told  him  about 
some  serious  accident  to  Pani  Elzen  which 
terminated  by  a  long  illness.  ^'  God  only 
knows  how  terribly  poor  Helena  suifered, 
and  it  must  be  that  in  mercy  it  came 
beforehand,  in  order  to  preserve  her  from 
greater  moral  sufferings!"  It  is  true  that 
Swirski  supposed  that  this  ^^  serious  acci- 
dent" was  purely  a  lie,  but  at  any  rate  it 
was  impossible  for  him  to  have  any  illu- 
sions about  Pani  Elzen,  or  at  least  he 
could  not  believe  she  was  the  woman  to 
whom  one  could  safely  trust  one^s  hap- 
piness. 

Just  the  same,  all  this  news  excited  his 
curiosity  and  attracted  him  toward  her. 
Having  heard  about  her  sojourn  in  Monte 


52  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

Carlo,  he  wished  to  meet  her  and  know 
her  better.  As  an  artist  he  wished  also  to 
see  for  himself  the  charm  by  which  this 
woman,  so  generally  slandered,  bewitched 
the  men. 

In  the  beginning  he  experienced  only 
disillusion.  She  was  beautiful  and  sensu- 
ally attractive,  but  he  noticed  that  she 
was  lacking  in  kindness  and  good  will 
toward  the  people.  The  men  interested 
her  only  so  far  as  they  stood  in  some  rela- 
tion to  her — were  necessary  to  her.  Beyond 
that  she  was  as  indifferent  as  a  stone. 
Swirski  did  not  notice  in  her  any  admira- 
tion for  intellectual  life,  for  literature,  for 
art.  She  took  from  it  what  was  necessary 
for  her,  giving  nothing  reciprocally.  And 
he,  as  an  artist  and  a  thinking  man,  un- 
derstood perfectly  that  such  a  state  of  the 
soul  betrays  a  barbarous  and  gross  nature, 
notwithstanding  all  refined  appearances. 
He  had  known  such  women  before.     He 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  53 

knew  that  they  dominated  the  people  by 
a  certain  strength,  produced  by  determina- 
tion and  a  large,  absolute  egotism.  About 
such  beings  they  said  very  often  when  he 
was  present:  ^^  She  is  cold  but  intelligent.^^ 
But  he  always  thought  of  such  women 
with  disdain.  According  to  his  judgment 
they  were  a  species  destitute  of  higher 
spiritual  culture,  and  even  common  sense, 
because  the  common  sense  which 
wants  everything  for  itself  and  does 
not  grant  anything  to  others  the  animals 
possess  also.  Equally  in  Pani  Elzen,  as 
well  as  in  Eomulus  and  Remus,  he  saw  the 
type  in  which  culture  begins  and  ends 
with  the  skin,  leaving  untouched  the  ple- 
beian and  rougher  depths.  Besides  that  he 
was  shocked  by  her  cosmopolitanism.  In 
fact,  she  was  like  a  worn-out  piece  of 
money — it  was  difficult  to  distinguish  to 
what  country  she  belonged;  Swirski  was 
disgusted  with  it,   not  only  because  he 


54  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

looked  differently  on  that  question,  but 
also  as  a  man  who  was  acquainted  with 
really  good  society  and  knew  that  the  best 
people  in  England,  France,  or  Italy  looked 
with  disdain  on  those  Nicean-cosmopolite 
weeds  without  roots. 

Wiadrowski  was  right  in  saying  that 
Eomulus  and  Eemus  were  brought  up  as 
traveling  salesmen  or  porters  in  big  hotels. 
It  was  a  well-known  fact  that  Pani  Elzen's 
father  had  a  title,  but  that  her  grand- 
father was  an  overseer,  and  it  appeared  to 
Swirski,  who  possessed  an  appreciation  of 
the  ridiculous  in  a  high  degree,  perfectly 
comical  that  the  grandsons  of  an  overseer 
not  only  did  not  speak  good  Polish,  but 
imitated  Parisians,  and  did  not  pronounce 
the  letter  ^^r.^^  They  were  good-looking 
boys,  even  very  good  looking.  Swirski, 
however,  felt  with  his  fine  artistic  sense 
that  in  those  two  bird-like  skulls  and  bird- 
like faces  the  beauty  was  not  something 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  55 

inherited  for  generations,  but  something 
accidental,  some  physiological  accident,  in 
consequence  of  being  twins.  And  he  re- 
peated to  himself  in  vain  that  their  mother 
was  also  beautiful:  a  sentiment  always 
remained  in  him  that  the  beauty  did 
not  belong  either  to  the  mother  or  to 
the  sons,  and  that  they  were  parvenus 
pecuniarily  as  well  as  morally  and  phys- 
ically. But  longer  contact  with  them 
weakened  those  impressions. 

Pani  Elzen  from  the  beginning  of  their 
acquaintance  began  to  be  attracted  toward 
him  and  to  favor  him.  He  was  worth 
more  than  her  other  acquaintances,  he  had 
a  good  name,  he  was  rich  and  famous. 
It  is  true,  he  was  not  young,  but  Pani 
Elzen  was  thirty-five;  besides  that,  his 
herculean  stature  couid  replace  his  youth. 
Finally,  to  marry  him  meant  to  the  w^oman 
about  whom  people  talked  sneeringly,  the 
recovery  of  honor  and    moral    position. 


56  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

True  enough,  she  could  see  that  it  would 
be  difficult  to  capture  him,  but  she  knew 
that  he  was  good,  and,  like  every  artist, 
had  a  certain  amount  of  naivete  at  the 
bottom  of  his  soul;  therefore  Pani  Elzen 
calculated  that  she  would  be  able  to  bend 
him  toward  her.  And  she  was  guided 
not  only  by  pure  calculation:  in  a  measure 
he  let  himself  be  attracted;  he  attracted 
her  also.  Finally  she  began  to  persuade 
herself  that  she  was  in  love  with  him — she 
even  believed  it. 

And  with  him  happened  that  which 
happens  to  many  intelligent  men.  His 
common  sense  ended  the  moment  the 
senses  began  to  talk,  or  worse  still,  he  went 
into  their  service,  and  instead  of  fighting 
them  he  was  obliged  to  furnish  them  with 
arguments.  In  that  way  Swirski,  who 
knew  and  understood  everything,  began  to 
justify,  soften,  explain,  defend. 

"  If  s  true,'^  he  said  to  himself,  ^^  that 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  57 

neither  her  nature  nor  her  conduct  until 
now  has  given  any  guarantee,  but  who 
will  prove  to  me  that  she  is  not  tired  of 
that  life  and  that  she  is  not  longing  of 
her  whole  soul  after  the  other  life? 
Without  any  doubt,  in  her  conduct  there 
is  much  coquetry,  but  who  will  guarantee 
that  she  does  not  display  this  coquetry 
because  she  loves  me  sincerely?  It  is 
childishness  to  imagine  that  a  woman, 
although  full  of  errors,  does  not  possess 
any  good  qualities.  Ah!  the  human 
soul — what  a  mixture!  Only  opportun- 
ities are  necessary  that  the  good  may  be 
developed  and  the  bad  disappear.  Pani 
Elzen  was  no  longer  young.  How 
stupid  it  would  be  to  admit  that  there  is 
no  voice  in  her  asking  for  a  virtuous, 
quiet  life,  for  peace,  for  tranquillity! 
Precisely  on  account  of  these  reasons 
such  a  woman  may  appreciate  an  honest 
man  who  guarantees  her  all  this.^^ 


58  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

Especially  this  last  appeared  to  him  very 
just  and  deep.  Previously  common  sense 
had  told  him  that  Pani  Elzen  wished  to 
catch  him,  but  he  answered  now:  '^  She  is 
right,  because  of  every  one,  even  the 
most  ideal  woman,  who  wishes  to  unite 
with  a  beloved  man,  one  might  say  that 
she  wishes  to  catch  himP^ 

The  hope  of  having  children  tranquil- 
lized him  in  regard  to  the  future.  He 
thought  that  then  she  would  love  some 
one,  and  she  would  be  obliged  to  break 
with  the  worldly,  empty  life,  because  she 
would  not  have  time — and  before  the  chil- 
dren would  have  grown  up  her  youth 
would  have  passed,  and  then  home  would 
attract  her  more  than  the  world.  Finally 
he  said  to  himself:  ^^The  life  must  be 
arranged  before  old  age  comes;  I  will  live 
a  few  years  with  a  beautiful,  interesting 
woman,  with  whom  every  day  will  be  to 
me  a  holiday.  ^^ 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  59 

And  those  ^^few  years  ^^  were  in  fact  the 
principal  attraction  for  him.  It  is  true 
to  Pani  Elzen  there  was  something  hu- 
miliating in  the  fact  that  he  was  not  afraid 
of  any  extraordinary  event,  for  the  reason 
that  she  was  no  longer  young,  and  there- 
fore the  possibility  would  soon  pass  away. 
But  he  did  not  admit  to  himself  that  pre- 
cisely that  thought  was  the  foundation  of 
his  hope — and  he  deceived  himself,  as  peo- 
ple always  do  in  whom  the  common  sense 
becomes  the  servant  of  the  passions. 

But  the  man,  after  the  previous  night^s 
events,  awakened  with  an  uneasiness  and 
disgust.  He  could  not  resist  thinking 
about  two  things:  In  the  first  place,  that 
if  some  one  had  told  him  a  month  before 
that  he  would  propose  to  Pani  Elzen,  he 
would  look  on  him  as  an  ass;  then,  that 
the  charm  of  the  relation  with  her,  and 
which  consisted  in  uncertainty,  in  mutual 
guessing  of  looks  and  thoughts,  in  unfin- 


60  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

ished  words,  in  suspended  avowals  and 
reciprocal  attraction,  was  stronger  than 
the  one  which  was  the  consequence  of  the 
present  change.  It  was  more  agreeable  to 
Swirski  to  anticipate  the  betrothal  than  to 
become  affianced,  and  just  now  he  was 
thinking  that  if  his  pleasure  in  becoming 
a  husband  should  become  less  in  the  same 
proportion  as  the  pleasure  of  being  affi- 
anced had  diminished,  then  the  deuce 
take  such  a  life!  There  were  moments  in 
which  the  thought  that  he  was  bound,  and 
that,  willing  or  not  willing,  he  would  be 
obliged  to  take  in  his  boat  of  life  Pani 
Elzen,  with  Komulus  and  Kemus,  appeared 
to  him  almost  unbearable.  In  those  mo- 
ments, being  a  loyal  man,  he  did  not  curse 
Pani  Elzen,  but  he  cursed  Romulus  and 
Eemus — their  rolling  of  the  letter  '^x,'' 
their  bird-like,  narrow  heads  and  bird-like 
skulls. 

^^I  had  my  sorrows,  but  in  fact  I  was 


On  the  Sunn3^  Shore.  61 

free  as  a  bird,  and  could  put  my  whole 
soul  into  the  pictures/^  he  said  so  himself, 
"^^and  now  the  devil  knows  how  it  will 
beP 

Here  the  sorrows  of  the  painter  spoiled 
his  humor  altogether,  although  they  gave 
another  direction  to  his  thoughts.  Pani 
Elzen  and  the  whole  matrimonial  affair 
began  to  retreat  to  the  background,  and 
the  picture,  ^*^  Dream  and  Death, ^^  came 
out  to  the  foreground.  He  had  been 
painting  this  picture  for  several  months, 
and  he  considered  it  of  great  importance, 
because  he  proposed  by  it  to  protest  against 
the  generally  accepted  idea  of  death.  Often 
in  conversation  with  his  friends  Swirski 
was  vehement  against  the  Christianity 
which  introduced  the  skeleton  into  life 
and  art  as  a  representation  of  death.  To 
Swirski  it  appeared  outrageous.  The 
Greeks  imagined  Thanatos  as  a  genius  with 
wings,  and  they  were  right.     What  can  be 


62  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

more  ugly  and  more  frightful  than  a  skele- 
ton? Christians,  at  least,  who  in  death  see 
the  gate  to  a  new  life,  ought  not  to  have 
painted  it  that  way.  According  to  Swir- 
ski  this  idea  was  born  of  the  gloomy  Ger- 
man spirit,  the  same  which  developed  the 
majestic,  grand,  gothic  style,  but  which 
is  so  gloomy,  as  if  the  church  was  not  a 
passage  to  the  light  of  heaven,  but  to  sub- 
terraneous and  hopeless  precipices.  Swir- 
ski  was  astonished  that  the  renaissance  had 
not  reformed  the  symbol  of  death.  If 
death  were  not  an  eternal  silence,  and  would 
like  to  complain,  it  would  say:  '^  Why  do 
people  represent  me  by  the  figure  of  a 
skeleton?  The  skeleton  is  precisely  the 
thing  for  which  I  do  not  wish  and  which 
I  do  not  leave.^^  Therefore  in  Swirski^s 
picture  the  genius  of  sleep  was  gently 
offering  the  body  of  a  girl  to  the  genius  of 
death,  who,  bending  over  her,  blew 
out  softly  the  flame  of  a  small  kmp  burn- 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  63 

ing  abo^e  her  head.  Swirski  while 
painting  repeated  to  himself:  ^^It  is  neces- 
sary that  the  man  who  looks  at  it  should 
say  to  himself  before  all:  ^  Ah!  how  quiet 
it  isV  "  And  he  wanted  this  silence  to  flow 
on  the  spectator  from  the  lines,  from  the 
figure,  from  the  expression,  from  the  col- 
oring. He  thought  also  that  if  he  could 
be  able  to  produce  this  imjDression,  and  if 
the  picture  could  explain  itself,  it  would 
become  a  new  and  remarkable  work. 

He  cared  about  something  more.  Fol- 
lowing the  stream  of  time,  he  agreed  that 
painting  must  avoid  literary  ideas;  he  un- 
derstood, however,  that  there  is  a  great  dif- 
ference between  giving  up  literary  ideas  and 
thoughtless  reproduction  of  the  exterior 
world  as  a  photographic  plate  reproduces 
it.  Shape,  color,  spot — nothing  more! 
— as  if  the  duty  of  a  painter  were  to  kill 
in  himself  the  thinking  being!  And  he 
remembered    that    every    time    he    saw. 


64  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

for  instance^  the  pictures  of  the  English 
painters,  he  was  struck  before  all  with  the 
high  intellectual  level  of  those  artists. 
One  could  see  from  their  canvases  that 
they  were  masters  of  high  spiritual  culture, 
very  much  developed  psychically,  think- 
ing deeply,  often  great  students.  In  Poles 
he  had  seen  something  quite  different. 
With  the  exception  of  several  the  majority 
of  them  were  capable  men,  but  thought- 
less, very  little  developed,  and  bare  of 
education.  They  lived  on  old  doctrinarian 
crumbs  falling  from  French  tables,  not 
admitting  for  a  moment  that  one  can  say 
anything  original  about  art,  to  create  it 
in  the  Polish  way.  It  was  clear  to  Swirski 
that  the  doctrine  allowing  them  lack  of 
thought  was  welcome  to  them.  To  be 
called  an  artist,  but  in  the  meanwhile  to 
be  a  clown  as  far  as  it  concerns  the  spirit, 
was  a  very  comfortable  thing.     To  read. 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  65 

to  know,  to  think — to  the  deuce  with  such 
a  work! 

Swirski  believed  that  if  even  a  landscape 
is  a  state  of  the  soul,  it  is  necessary  that 
this  soul  should  be  not  a  soul  of  a  peasant, 
but  subtile,  impressive,  developed,  worked 
out.  He  quarreled  about  that  with  his 
comrades  and  discussed  passionately.  ^^  I 
don^t  ask  from  you,^'  shouted  he,  ^^  that 
you  paint  as  well  as  do  Frenchmen,  Eng- 
lishmen, or  Spaniards.  I  want  you  to 
paint  better!  before  all,  in  your  own  way. 
And  the  one  who  does  not  strive  for  that 
ought  to  become  a  shoemaker !^^ 

And  he  tried  to  prove  that  it  does  not 
matter  if  a  picture  represents  a  stack  of 
hay,  or  hens  scratching  in  the  barnyard, 
or  potatoes  in  the  field,  or  horses  in 
the  pasture,  or  a  corner  of  still  water  in  a 
pond,  the  principal  thing  dominating 
everything  in  it  must  be  the  soul.  There- 
fore in  his  portraits  he  tried  to  put  as 


ee  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

much  of  his  soul  as  he  could;  besides  this 
he  expressed  himself  in  other  pictures^,  the 
last  of  them  being  ^^  Hypnos  and  Thana- 
tos/^ 

The  two  genii  were  almost  finished, 
but  there  were  some  difficulties  with  the 
girl's  head.  Swirski  understood  that  she 
must  not  only  be  beautiful  but  full  of  in- 
dividuality. There  were  plenty  of  pretty 
models,  but  they  did  not  possess  enough 
personality.  It  is  true  that  Mme.  Lageat, 
from  whom  he  rented  his  studio,  promised 
him  to  search  for  a  good  model,  but  she 
was  very  slow.  A  new  model  promised  to 
come  this  morning,  but  had  not  put  in  an 
appearance,  although  it  was  already  half- 
past  eleven. 

All  this,  with  last  night's  matrimonial 
proposition,  was  the  reason  that  Swirski 
began  to  be  disturbed,  not  only  about  his 
peace  of  mind,  but  also  about  his  artistic 
future  in  general,  and  about  his  picture  in 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  67 

particular.  At  that  moment  Hypnos  ap- 
peared to  him  heayy,  Thanatos  stupid. 
Finally  he  said  to  himself  that^  as  long  as 
he  was  unable  to  work,  it  would  be  better 
to  go  to  the  shore,  where  the  view  of  the 
water  and  the  sun  would  brighten  his 
thoughts  and  soul. 

But  just  at  that  moment,  when  he  was 
ready  to  go  out,  the  bell  was  heard  in  the 
antechamber,  then  two  Scotch  tartans, 
two  bangs,  and  the  two  bird-like  heads  of 
Eomulus  and  Remus  appeared  in  his 
studio.  Kresowicz,  paler  and  gloomier 
than  ever,  followed  them. 

^'  Good-morning,  sir!  Good-morning, 
sir!^^  shouted  both  boys.  '^Maman  sent 
you  these  roses  and  begs  you  to  come  to 
luncheon.  ^^  » 

Then  they  began  to  run  and  look  round 
the  studio.  They  were  very  much  sur- 
prised at  the  nude  sketches;  they  stopped 
before  them  and  elbowed  each  other. 


68  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

^^RegardeF' 

It  made  Swirski  angry,  and  he 
looking  at  his  watch: 

^^We  must  be  going  if  we  wish  to  have 
some  luncheon/^ 

He  took  his  hat  and  they  went  oat.  As 
there  were  no  carriages  near  the  studio 
they  walked.  While  walking  the  artist 
asked  Kresowicz: 

^^  Well,  how  are  your  pupils?^^ 

Kresowicz  turned  to  him,  his  ironical 
face  full  of  hatred,  and  answered: 

^^  My  pupils?  They  are  all  right.  They 
are  as  healthy  as  fish,  and  their  Scotch 
dresses  are  becoming  to  them.  But  I  don^t 
care  about  them.^^ 

"Whyr 

"Because  I  am  going  to  leave  them 
fco-morrow.^^ 

"What  is  the  matter ?^^  asked  Swirski, 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  69 

with  some  astonishment.  ^^I  did  not 
know.     It's  a  pity  V 

^'  Not  for  them/'  answered  Kresowicz. 

^'^It  must  be  for  the  reason  that  they 
cannot  understand  it.'' 

^^  They  never  will  be  able  to  understand 
— ^neither  to-day  nor  any  other  time! 
never!" 

^^  I  hope  time  will  prove  that  you  are 
mistaken/'  answered  Swirski  dryly.  '^At 
any  rate,  I  am  sorry  to  hear  it." 

But  the  student  went  on  about  himself. 

^^  Yes,  it's  a  pity,  but  it's  a  pity  to  waste 
the  time.  They  don't  need  me,  and  I 
don't  need  them.  They  will  be  such  as 
they  will  be.  The  person  who  wishes  to 
sow  Avheat  must  plow  the  soil,  and  the 
poorer  it  is  the  easier  to  plow  it.  One 
could  say  much  about  it,  but  it's  not  worth 
while,  especially  for  me.  Microbes  will 
eat  me  up  just  the  same." 

^^  You  were  never  threatened  with  con- 


70  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

sumption?  Pani  Elzen  asked  a  doctor 
about  your  health,  and  he  assured  her  that 
there  was  no  danger/^ 

''  To  be  surO;,  there  is  no  danger.  And 
then  1  discovered  a  sure  remedy  against 
microbes.^' 

^^  What  remedy  have  you  discovered?^^ 

^^It  will  be  published  in  the  papers. 
Such  discoveries  one  does  not  hide  under 
a  bushel." 

Swirski  looked  at  Kresowicz  as  if  he 
wished  to  ascertain  whether  he  had  a  fever; 
at  the  same  time  they  arrived  at  the  station 
which  was  swarming  with  people. 

The  ISTicean  guests  were  going  in  the 
morning,  as  usual,  to  Monte  Carlo.  While 
Swirski  was  purchasing  the  tickets  Wia- 
drowski  perceived  and  approached  him. 

^^  Good-morning!"  said  he.  ^^ To  Monte 
Carlo?" 

^'  Yes.     Have  you  your  ticket  already  ?" 

^^  I  have  a  season  ticket.     We  will  be 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  71 

crowded  in  the  train.  It^s  a  true  exodus 
isn^t  it?  And  everybody  carries  the  wid- 
ow^s  mite.  Good-morning,  Mr.  Kreso- 
wicz.  What  do  you  say  about  life  here? 
Make  some  remark  from  the  point  of  view 
of  your  party.  ^^ 

Kresowicz  began  to  blink  his  eyes  as  if 
he  could  not  understand  what  they  wanted 
from  him;  then  he  said: 

^'I  have  joined  the  party  of  silent 
people.  ^^ 

^^  I  know,  I  know!  Splendid  party! 
The  company  is  either  silent  or  it  ex- 
plodes. ^^ 

And  he  began  to  laugh. 

The  bell  for  departure  had  rung  and 
they  were  obliged  to  hasten.  The  shout- 
ing: '^E7i  voiture  !  En  voiture  !"  sounded. 
In  a  moment  Swirski,  Kresowicz,  Wia- 
drowski,  and  the  two  boys  were  in  the 
train. 

^'  Look  V  said  Wiadrowski,    *^  We  can^t 


72  On  the  Sunnj^  Shore. 

even  dream  about  a  seat.     A  true  immi- 
gration!" 

In  fact,  there  was  a  great  crowd  of  every 
nationality:  Poles,  Kussians,  Englishmen, 
Frenchmen,  Germans — all  were  going  to 
conquer  the  bank,  which  every  day  re- 
pulsed and  broke  these  crowds,  as  a  rock 
breaks  the  waves  of  the  sea.  There  were 
also  numerous  women  scented  with  helio- 
trope. The  sun  lighted  the  artificial 
flowers  on  their  hats,  velvet,  lace,  artificial 
or  real  jewels,  objects  shining  like  polished 
armor  on  round  bosoms,  blackened  eye- 
brows, faces  covered  with  powder  and 
animated  by  the  hope  of  enjoyment  and 
gambling.  The  most  experienced  eye  was 
not  able  to  distinguish  the  fast  women 
from  the  society  women.  The  men,  with 
violets  in  their  buttonholes,  looked  at 
those  women  inquisitively  and  imperti- 
nently, inspecting  dresses,  shoulders,  faces, 
and  hips  with  as  cold  blood  as  one  looks 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  73 

on  the  things  exhibited  for  sale  in  the 
shop  windows.  In  this  crowd  there  was 
haste  and  disorder.  At  certain  moments 
the  train  rushed  into  the  darkness  of  the 
tunnel;  then  again  the  sunlight,  the  sky, 
the  sea,  the  palms,  the  olive  trees,  the 
villas  shone  in  the  windows,  and  a 
moment  after  the  darkness  again 
covered  everything.  The  stations  passed 
one  after  another.  New  crowds  of  people 
squeezed  into  the  train.  They  were  ele- 
gantly dressed,  refined,  as  if  they  were 
rushing  to  some  great  and  joyful  festival. 

^^  What  a  true  picture  of  lifeP  said  Wi- 
adrowski. 

^^  What  is  a  true  picture  ?^^ 

^^  The  train — I  could  philosophize  about 
it  until  luncheon,  but  as  I  prefer  to  phi- 
losophize after  luncheon,  perhaps  you  will 
be  willing  to  eat  it  with  me.^^ 

^^No,^\said  Swirski,  ^^you  must  excuse* 
me;  I  am  invited  by  Pani  Elzqn,'^ 


74  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

^'  In  that  case  I  retreat!'^ 

And  he  began  to  laugh.  The  thought 
that  Swirski  might  marry  Pani  Elzen  did 
not  enter  his  mind  even  for  a  moment. 
He  was  sure  that  the  painter  only  cared 
for  her  the  same  as  the  others  did,  but 
being  a  great  admirer  of  artists  in  general 
and  Swirski  in  particular,  he  was  pleased 
that  he  was  ahead  of  his  competitors  in 
her  favor. 

*^I  represent  the  wealth/^ he  was  think- 
ing. '^Porzecki  title,  the  young  Kladz- 
ki  the  youth,  and  Sinten  the  world  of 
fashionable  stupid  chaps.  All  that,  espe- 
cially here,  carries  a  great  weight,  and 
the  Dame  aux  Camelias  has  chosen  him. 
At  any  rate,  she  has  fine  taste.  ^^ 

And  looking  at  the  painter  he  began 
to  mutter : 

^^  Jo  triumphe,  ki  7noraris  aureos 
currus/' 

^^  What  do  you  say?''  asked  Swirski,  who 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  75 

did  not  hear  well  on  account  of  the  noise 
of  the  train. 

^^  ]S[othing.  Some  hiccoughs  from  Ho- 
ratius.  I  say,  as  you  refuse,  I  will  give  a 
consolation  luncheon  to  myself,  De  Sin- 
ten,  Porzecki,  and  Kladzki.^^ 

*^May  I  ask  you  for  what  you  wish  to  be 
consoled?'^  asked  Swirski,  approaching 
swiftly  and  looking  into  his  eyes  almost 
threateningly. 

^^For  the  loss  of  your  company,  ^^  coolly 
answered  Wiadrowski.  '^^And  what  did 
you  suppose,  my  dear  sir?^^ 

Swirski  bit  his  lips  and  said  nothing. 
But  he  thought  that  the  proverb,  ^^  The 
cap  always  burns  on  the  head  of  a  thief, ^^ 
was  right — because  if  he  were  going  to 
marry  an  honest  girl  he  never  would  sup- 
pose that  any  one  speaking  ironically  was 
thinking  about  her. 

When  they  arrived,  Pani  Elzen,  fresh, 
young  and  beautiful^  was  waiting  at  the 


76  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

station.  Evidently  she  had  just  come,  be- 
cause she  breathed  deeply  and  her  face  was 
flushed  as  with  emotion.  Therefore,  when 
she  stretched  both  her  hands  to  Swirski, 
Wiadrowski  thought: 

^^  YesI  he  has  beaten  us  all.  She  looks 
to  be  really  in  love.^'  And  he  looked  on 
her  almost  with  sympathy.  In  a  white 
flannel  dress,  with  shining  eyes,  she  seemed 
to  him,  notwithstanding  some  powder  on 
her  face,  as  young  and  charming  as  ever. 
For  awhile  he  regretted  he  was  not  that 
happy  mortal  whom  she  came  to  greet; 
and  he  thought  that  the  method  by  which 
he  had  tried  to  gain  her  favor,  consisting 
in  telling  her  hard  things,  was  stupid.  But 
he  consoled  himself  with  the  thought  that 
he  could  laugh  at  Sinten  and  others  who 
were  beaten. 

After  the  greeting  Swirski  thanked  her 
for  the  roses,  but  she  was  listening  with 
some  embarrassment,  looking  from  time 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  77 

to  time  at  Wiadrowski,  as  if  she  were 
ashamed  that  he  heard  those  thanks. 

As  for  him,  he  understood  that  it  would 
be  best  for  him  at  present  to  leave 
them.  But  they  went  together  in  the  lift 
to  the  heights  on  which  the  gambling 
house  and  the  gardens  are  situated.  On 
the  way  Pani  Elzen  entirely  regained  her 
self-possession. 

^^ Let  us  have  luncheon!  Let  us  have 
luncheon!"  she  said  joyfully.  ^^  I  have  an 
appetite  like  a  whale. '^ 

Wiadrowski  muttered  that  he  would 
like  to  be  Jonah,  but  he  did  not  say  it 
aloud,  thinking  that  Swirski  might 
seize  him  by  the  collar  of  his  coat  and 
throw  him  from  the  lift,  as  the  joke  de- 
served. 

In  the  garden  he  took  leave  of  them  and 
departed;  but  looking  backward  he 
perceived  Pani  Elzen  leaning  on  Swirski^s 
arm  and  whispering  something  to  him. 


78  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

"  They  are  speaking  about  dessert  after 
the  breakfast  !^^  thought  he. 

But  he  was  mistaken,  because  she,  turn- 
ing her  charming  face  toward  the  painter, 
whispered : 

^^Does  Wiadrowski  know?" 

"  ^NTo,"  answered  Swirski,  ^^  I  only  met 
him  in  the  train." 

Having  said  this,  he  felt  some  uneasi- 
ness that  Pani  Elzen  is  speaking  about 
betrothals,  and  that  it  would  be  necessary 
to  tell  everybody  about  it,  but  in  the  mean- 
while her  beauty  and  charms  began  to  act 
upon  him  in  such  a  way  that  he  became 
courageous. 

They  had  luncheon  together  with  Kom- 
ulus,  Kemus,  and  Kresowicz,  who  during 
the  whole  time  did  not  say  a  word.  After 
the  coffee  Pani  Elzen  gave  the  boys  per- 
mission to  go  with  the  young  man  in  the 
direction  of  Eocca  Brune,  and  then  sh^ 
asked  Swirski: 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  79 

'^  Do  you  prefer  to  take  a  walk  or  ride?^' 

He  would  prefer  to  go  to  her  apartment 
and  pause  there  at  least  ^^  halfway  to 
paradise  ^^ — and  obtain  ^^at  least  half -sal- 
vation ^^ — but  he  thought  that  if  she  did 
not  wish  it  it  was  the  best  proof  of  how 
earnestly  and  nobly  she  looked  on  their 
relation,  and  that  he  ought  to  be  grateful 
for  it. 

'^  If  you  are  not  tired  I  prefer  to  walk," 
answered  he. 

^^Very  well.  I  am  not  tired  at  all. 
But  where  shall  we  go?  Would  you  like 
to  look  at  the  pigeon  shooting?" 

^*  Willingly.  But  there  we  will  not  be 
alone.  I  am  sure  Sinten  and  young 
Kladzki  are  practicing  after  breakfast." 

^^Yes,  but  they  will  not  bother  us. 
When  there  is  a  question  about  pigeons 
they  become  blind  and  deaf  to  everything 
around  them.  And  then  let  them  see  me 
with  my  great  man!" 


80  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

And  bending  her  head  she  looked  into 
his  eyes,  smiling. 

'^  But  perhaps  the  great  man  does  not 
wish  it?^^ 

^^On  the  contrary,  let  them  see  usT^ 
answered  Swirski,  raising  her  hand  to  his 
lips. 

^^'Let  us  go,  then.     I  like  to  look  at  it.'^ 

^^Very  well.'^ 

And  in  a  moment  they  were  on  the  large 
stairs  leading  to  the  shooting  club. 

"  What  a  light  here,  and  how  happy  I 
2imV'  said  Pani  Elzen. 

Then,  although  there  was  nobody  there, 
she  asked  him  in  a  whisper: 

^^  And  your 

^^My  light  is  with  me P  answered  he, 
pressing  her  arm  to  his  breast. 

And  they  began  to  descend.  In  fact 
the  day  seemed  to  be  brighter  than  ever; 
the  air  was  golden  and  blue;  the  sea  in  the 
distance  looked  like  lapis  lazuli. 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  81 

^'  Let  ns  stop  here/^  said  Pani  Elzen. 
'^From  here  we  can  see  the  cages/^ 

Under  their  feet  stretched  a  large 
green  lawn,  running  out  to  the  sea.  The 
cages  with  pigeons  were  disposed  on  it  in 
a  half  -  circle.  Each  moment  one  of 
them  opened  snddenly/the  frightened  bird 
flew,  then  the  shot  resounded,  and  the 
pigeon  fell  either  on  the  grass  or  into  the 
sea,  where  on  the  waves  small  boats  with 
fishermen  were  expectantly  waiting  for  the 
prey. 

It  sometimes  happened,  howeyer,  that 
the  pigeon  was  missed;  then  he  flew  to- 
ward the  sea,  and,  having  made  a  circle, 
returned,  looking  for  shelter  in  the  cor- 
nices of  the  Casino. 

^^  From  here  we  don%see  who  shoots, '' 
mirthfully  said  Pani  Elzen;  ^^  therefore 
let  us  tell  our  fortune:  If  the  first  pigeon 
falls  down  we  remain  in  Monte  Carlo;  if 
he  flies  away  we  will  go  to  Italy. ^^ 


82  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

^^So  be  it/^  said  Swirski.  ^^Let  us 
look!    There  he  isP 

In  fact  the  cage  was  opened,  and 'at  that 
moment  the  pigeon,  as  if  stunned,  re- 
mained on  the  spot.  They  forced  him 
to  fly,  by  rolling  on  the  grass  toward 
him  a  wooden  ball,  and  then  the  shot  was 
heard.  But  the  bird  did  not  fall  imme- 
diately. In  the  first  place  he  had  risen 
very  high  in  the  air,  then  he  flew  directly 
to  the  sea,  coming  down  gradually,  as  if 
wounded.  Finally  he  disappeared  in  the 
blaze  of  the  sun. 

^^  Maybe  he  fell  down,  maybe  not.  The 
future  is  uncertain, ^^  said  Swirski,  laugh- 
ing. 

But  Pani  Elzen  moved  her  lips  like  an 
angry  child : 

^^  If  s  this  horrid  Sinten,^'  said  she.  ^'  I 
bet  it  was  he.     Let  us  go  down.'^ 

And  they  descended  nearer  and  nearer 
to    the    shooting    gallery.      Pani    Elzen 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  83 

stopped  at  every  shot.  In  her  white  dress, 
on  the  background  of  green  she  looked 
like  a  statue. 

"There  is  no  other  material  which 
makes  as  pretty  drapery  as  flannel/^  said 
Swirski. 

"Ah,  those  artists!^^  answered  the  young 
woman. 

And  in  her  voice  there  was  some  irony, 
for  she  felt  offended  that  at  that  moment 
Swirski  should  be  thinking  about  dra- 
peries and  different  fabrics  instead  of  her. 

"Let  us  be  going T 

A  few  moments  later  they  were  in  the 
shooting  gallery.  Of  their  acquaintances 
only  Sin  ten  was  there,  shooting  with  some 
Hungarian  count,  both  dressed  in  brown 
English  coats,  with  caps  of  the  same  color, 
Scotch  stockings,  both  very  distingues 
and  with  faces  as  expressive  as  that  of  a 
stupid  ass.  But  it  was  as  Pani  Elzen  said 
— Sinten  was  so  busy  shooting  that  he  did 


84:  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

not  notice  them  at  once,  and  only  after  a 
long  wait  did  he  come  to  greet  them. 

^^How  is  your  luck?'^  asked  the  lady. 

^'  I  shall  heat!  I  am  sure  I  will  win.^' 
Here  he  turned  to  Swirski:  ^^  Don't  you 
shoot?'' 

^^  I  do,  hut  not  to-day." 

^^As  for  me/'  answered  Sinten,  looking 
significantly  at  Pani  Elzen,  ^^  I  am  to-day 
heiireux  aujetiF' 

They  called  him  to  the  shooting. 

^'  He  wanted  to  say  that  he  was  unhappy 
in  love/'  said  Swirski. 

^amhecile!    Could  it  be  different?" 

But  notwithstanding  those  words  of 
censure,  one  could  see  by  the  face  of  the 
beautiful  lady  that  she  was  not  offended, 
that  in  Swirski's  presence  they  gave  testi- 
mony to  her  personal  popularity. 

It  was  not  the  last  testimony  that  day. 

^^I  wished  to  ask  you  about  something," 
said  Swirski  after  a  short  silence,  ^^  but  I 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  85 

could  not  do  it  in  the  presence  of  the 
children  and  Kresowicz,  who  told  me  that 
he  was  going  to  leave.     Is  it  true?^' 

^^  It^strue/^  answered  PaniElzen.  "In 
the  first  place,  I  am  not  sure  of  his  health. 
A  few  days  ago  I  made  him  go  to  see  the 
doctor,  who  informed  me  that  he  was  not 
threatened  with  consumption;  otherwise 
I  wouldn't  keep  him  an  hour;  but  at 
any  rate  he  looks  worse  every  day;  he  is 
whimsical,  irritable,  often  unbearable. 
That's  the  first  reason;  then  you  know  his 
tendencies — I  know  they  will  not  stick  to 
Komulus  and  Eemus.  I  bring  up  the  boys 
in  such  a  way  that  they  would  not  care  for 
the  ideas  of  the  red  party.  But  I  don't 
wish  them  even  to  know  that  such 
principles  exist — that  they  meet  such 
hatred  toward  the  class  of  people 
among  whom  they  live.  It  was  sufficient 
for  me  that  you  wished  them  to  speak 
with  somebody  in  their  own  language.    It 


86  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

was  for  me  almost  a  command.  I  under- 
stand that  they  ought  to  know  their  own 
language.  Now  the  people  are  insisting 
upon  it,  and  I  agree  they  are  right.  But 
even  in  that  Kresowicz  is  opinionated.^^ 

^^I  shall  miss  him!  Around  the  eyes 
he  has  certain  wrinkles  which  signify 
fanaticism;  but  his  is  an  interesting  face 
though  he  is  a  very  peculiar  man.''^ 

^^The  painter  is  talking  through  you 
again/^  said  Pani  Elzen,  laughing. 

But  after  awhile  she  became  sober  and 
even  somewhat  embarrassed. 

^^I  have  one  reason  more/^  said  she. 
^^It's  unpleasant  to  speak  about,  but  I 
must  tell  you,  because  with  whom  should 
I  be  sincere  if  not  with  my — great  man — 
who  is  so  dear  and  good,  who  is  able  to  be 
indulgent  in  everything?  Well,  then,  I 
noticed  that  Kresowicz  lost  his  head  and 
fell  in  love  with  me,  and  under  those  cir- 
cumstances he  couldn^t  remain  near  me/' 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  87 

^^What?  This  one  also?^^  exclaimed 
Swirski. 

''Yes!'^  answered  she,  dropping  her 
eyes. 

And  she  tried  to  simulate  that  this  con- 
fession was  unpleasant  for  her,  but  all  the 
same,  as  at  Sinten^s  words  a  smile  of  satis- 
fied self-love  and  Yv^omanly  vanity  passed 
over  her  face.  Swirski  noticed  it,  and  an 
unpleasant,  angry  feeling  filled  his  heart. 

^^Then  I  am  also  struck  by  the  epidem- 
ic,'^ said  he. 

She  looked  at  him  for  awhile  and  then 
asked  quietly: 

^^  Was  that  said  by  a  jealous  or  an  un- 
grateful man?'' 

But  the  painter  answered  evasively : 

"You  are  right.  Kresowicz  ought  to 
leave." 

"I  will  pay  him  to-day.'^ 

Then  they  Avere  silent.  Sinten  and  the 
Hungarian  count's  shooting  was  heard. 


88  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

Swirski,  however,  could  not  pardon 
that  smile  he  had  noticed.  ^^It  is  true," 
he  said  to  himself,  ^^that  Pani  Elzen  acted 
with  Kresowicz  as  she  ought  to,  and  that 
there  is  no  reason  to  be  irritated."  But 
he  was  irritated  just  the  same.  Some 
time  ago,  at  the  beginning  of  their  ac- 
quaintance, he  had  seen  her  riding  on 
horseback;  she  was  in  the  lead,  followed  by 
Sinten,  Kladzki,  Porzecki,  Wilkisbey,  and 
Waxford.  This  cavalcade  made  a  very 
bad  impression  on  Swirski,  an  impression 
of  a  kind  of  beastly  run  of  males  after  a 
female.  The  same  picture  now  stood  in 
his  memory,  and  his  impressionable  artistic 
nature  suffered  considerably.  ^^  Precisely 
speaking,"  he  said  to  himself,  ^^  everybody 
runs  after  her,  and  in  case  I  fall  over  some 
obstacle  she  will  be  reached  by  the  next 
one!" 

Pani  Elzen  interrupted  his  reflections; 
she  complained  that  she  was  cold  there  in 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  89 

the  shadow,  and  said  that  she  wished  to 
warm  herself  in  the  sun. 

^^  Let  us  go  to  the  hotel — you  can  take 
your  jacket/^  said  he. 

They  started  on  their  return  to  the  upper 
terrace,  but  when  halfway  on  the  stairs 
she  stopped  suddenly. 

^^  You  are  not  satisfied  with  me/^  said 
she.  ^^  Of  what  am  I  guilty?  What  have 
I  done  to  displease  you?'^ 

Swirski  had  become  quieter  while  walk- 
ing, and  answered: 

"You  must  excuse  an  old  crank.  I 
beg  your  pardon." 

Pani  Elzen  wanted  to  know  by  all  means 
why  he  was  sad,  but  she  could  not  make 
him  talk.  Then,  half -seriously  and  half- 
jokingly,  she  began  to  complain  against 
artists.  What  a  strange  and  unbearable 
people  they  are ! — shocked  by  any  trifle,  they 
shut  their  impressions  within  themselves. 


90  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

and  then  escape  to  their  solitary  studios. 
To-day  three  times  she  noticed  the  painter 
in  him.  That^s  bad!  Therefore,  for  a  pun- 
ishment, this  unbearable  painter  must 
stay  with  her  until  evening  for  dinner. 

But  Swirski  said  that  he  must  return  to 
Nice;  then  he  spoke  to  her  about  his  trou- 
bles as  an  artist,  about  difficulties  in  find- 
ing a  model  for  ^^  Dream  and  Death/^ 
and  about  the  hope  of  success  he  had  in 
this  picture. 

^'I  see,^^  answered  the  young  widow, 
smiling,  '^  that  I  shall  always  have  a  fright- 
ful rival  in  art." 

^'  It^s  not  the  rival,"  answered  Swirski. 
^^  It^s  God,  whom  you  will  serve  with  me." 

The  pretty  lady  frowned  at  that,  but  in 
the  meanwhile  they  arrived  at  the  hotel. 
That  day  Swirski  went  three-thirds  of  the 
way  to  paradise,  and  left  his  pretty  widow 
with  shivers  of  delight  in  his  bones,  but 


On  the  Sunn}^  Shore.  91 

with  conviction  that  only  matrimony  would 
open  the  gate. 

His  brain  having  cooled,  he  was  grateful 
to  PaniElzen;  she  inspired  him  with  such 
a  conviction. 


92  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Pai?"I  Elzex,  before  she  began  to  dress 
for  dinner,  called  Kresowicz  in  order  to 
pay  him,  which  she  did  with  a  certain 
curiosity,  anxious  to  know  how  he  would 
bid  her  good-by.  She  had  seen  so  many 
commonplace  people,  who  appeared  as  if 
cut  by  the  same  tailor  according  to  the 
same  measure,  that  this  odd  young 
fellow  excited  her  curiosity;  and  now, 
when  he  was  about  to  depart  with  bleeding 
heart,  he  interested  her  a  great  deal  more. 
She  was  sure  that  his  passion  would  be 
shown  in  some  way,  and  she  even  wished 
for  it,  promising  to  herself,  not  very  sin- 
cerely, however,  to  stop  it  with  a  look  or 
word,  if  he  should  overstep  certain  bounds. 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  93 

But  Kresowicz  when  he  entered  her 
room  was  cold  and  threatening,  and  his 
face  was  other  than  that  of  a  person  enam- 
oured. Pani  Elzen,  having  glanced  at 
him,  thought  that  Swirski,  being  an  artist, 
was  right  in  having  noticed  that  head, 
which  really  had  something  exceptional 
in  its  expression.  Its  lines  were  iron-like, 
in  which  the  will  was  stronger  than  the 
intelligence,  giving  to  them  in  a  certain 
degree  a  stubborn  expression.  Swirski 
had  noticed  for  a  long  time  that  he  was 
one  of  those  men  who,  if  they  seize  some 
idea,  their  faith  will  never  be  disturbed  by 
skepticism,  and  never  a  doubt  will  shake 
their  ability  for  action,  because  with  a 
stubborn  and  strong  character  goes  a  cer- 
tain narrowness  of  the  mind.  Fanaticism 
grows  only  on  such  a  field.  Pani  Elzen, 
noth withstanding  her  cleverness,  was  too 
superficial  to  be  able  to  recognize  that. 
Kresowicz  would  have  attracted  her  atten- 


94  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

tion  if  he  were  an  exceptionally  good- 
looking  boy,  but  as  he  was  not,  therefore 
in  the  beginning  she  treated  him  like  an 
ordinary  object,  and  only  Swirski  had 
taught  her  to  think  about  liim  differently. 
Just  now  she  received  him  kindly,  and, 
after  having  paid  him  she  said,  with  a 
cold  and  indifferent  voice,  but  with  well- 
chosen  words,  that  she  was  very  sorry  that 
on  account  of  her  departure  from  Monte 
Carlo  she  would  be  obliged  to  dismiss  him. 

Kresowicz  mechanically  put  the  money 
into  his  pocket  and  answered: 

^^I  told  you  myself  yesterday  that  I 
would  not  teach  Romulus  and  Remus  any 
longer.  ^^ 

^^  Exactly — it  comforts  me!^'  she  said, 
raising  her  head. 

Evidently  she  wished,  at  least  in  the 
beginning,  to  hold  the  conversation  in  a 
ceremonious  tone,  and  obliged  Kresowicz 
to  speak  in  the  same  way.     But  to  look  at 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  95 

him  one  could  see  that  he  had  an  nnbended 
determination  to  tell  everything  he  had  to 
tell. 

^^  You  paid  me  with  good  money/^  said 
he;  '^you  mustn^t  now  give  me  any  coun- 
terfeit/' 

^*  What  do  you  mean?'' 

^^I  mean  this/'  he  said  vehemently, 
^'  that  you  neither  dismissed  me  on  account 
of  your  departure  nor  do  I  quit  for  the 
same  reason.  The  cause  is  quite  different, 
and  you  know  it  as  well  as  I  do." 

^'  If  I  know  it,  it's  probable  that  I  don't 
wish  either  to  hear  or  to  talk  about  it/'  said 
she  haughtily. 

He  advanced  a  step  toward  her,  holding 
up  his  threatening  head. 

^^But  you  must  hear  it!"  said  he  em- 
phatically. ^^  In  the  first  place,  because 
in  a  moment  I  will  be  gone  away;  then, 
on  account  of  the  other  reason,  about  which 
you  will  learn  to-morrow." 


96  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

Pani  Elzen  rose  from  her  chair^  and 
with  frowning  eyehrows  and  in  the  theat- 
rical pose  of  an  ojffended  queen,  she  said : 

^'  What  do  you  mean?^' 

He  approached  nearer,  until  his  face 
was  only  a  few  inches  from  hers,  and 
began  to  talk  with  concentrated  energy: 

^^It  means  that  I  ought  to  have  hated 
you  and  your  sphere,  and  I  fell  in  love 
with  you.  It  means  that  for  you  I  com- 
mitted in  my  conscience  a  crime,  for 
which  I  shall  punish  myself.  But  precise- 
ly for  this  reason  I  have  nothing  to  lose, 
and  you  must  pay  me  for  my  wrong,  other- 
wise something  dreadful  will  happen.^^ 

Pani  Elzen  was  not  frightened,  because 
she  did  not  fear  men  at  all.  She  was  as- 
tonished, and  at  once  uttered  an  exclama- 
tion of  amazement: 

''Mais  c'est  un  vrai  oiseau  de  proie, 
which  may  tear  me  into  pieces  P  For  that 
adventurous  woman,  familiar  with  corrup- 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  97 

tion,  any  adventure  especially  flattering 
to  her  womanly  selfishness  had  a  great 
charm.  To  all  that  her  moral  sense  was 
not  afraid  of  trifling.  Had  Kresowicz  be- 
seeched  her  for  one  minute  of  happiness, 
for  permission  to  kiss  the  edge  of  her 
dress  with  humility,  with  tears  and  on 
his  knees,  she  would  have  ordered  him  to 
be  thrown  out.  But  this  threatening  and 
almost  crazy  man,  who  represented  a  sect 
about  whose  fearful  energy  they  told  dread- 
ful stories  in  society,  appeared  to  her 
demon-like — so  different  from  other  peo- 
ple, something  so  out  of  the  ordinary  that 
she  was  simply  in  an  ecstasy  of  delight. 
Her  nerves  were  longing  after  something 
new.  She  thought  if  she  resisted  the  ad- 
venture might  assume  unforeseen  dimen- 
sions and  turn  into  a  scandal,  for  the  crazy 
man  was  ready  for  anything. 

Kresowicz  spoke  further,  breathing  in 
her  face  his  warm  respiration: 


98  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

^'I  love,  and  I  have  nothing  to  lose! 
I  lost  my  health  and  my  future,  and  I 
committed  a  base  action!  I  have  nothing 
to  lose!  Do  you  understand  ?  I  don^t  care 
if  ten  or  a  hundred  people  rush  here  if  you 
give  an  alarm.  But  you  won^t  do  it. 
After  that  I  will  go  away  and  the  secret 
will  never  be  revealed — I  swear !^^ 

Pani  Elzen  cared  only  to  save  appear- 
ances, which  with  womanly  hypocrisy  she 
always  tried  to  preserve — in  order  to  deceive 
herself. 

Therefore,  turning  toward  him  eyes  full 
of  artificial  fight,  she  asked: 

^^  Do  you  wish  to  kill  me?'^ 

^^  I  want  to  be  paid,  but  not  with  money  V 
he  answered  in  a  choked  voice. 

Then  he  became  paler;  he  seized  her 
and  hugged  her.  She  defended  herself, 
but  she  did  it  like  a  fainting  woman,  from 
whom  fright  has  taken  all  consciousness 
and  strength. 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  99 


CHAPTER  V. 

Wheist  Swirski  arrived  at  Ville  Franche 
he  alighted  from  the  carriage  and  went  to 
the  harbor,  because  the  idea  came  to  him 
to  return  to  Nice  in  a  boat.  He  found  a 
fisherman  with  whom  he  was  acquainted, 
and  who,  being  pleased  to  see  his  liberal 
customer,  agreed  with  Ligurian  boastful- 
ness  to  go  with  him  ^^even  to  Corsica,  and 
though  the  sirocco  should  turn  the  bottom 
of  the  sea.^^ 

This  time  there  was  only  a  question  of 
a  small  trip,  so  much  easier  because  there 
was  not  even  the  slightest  wind.  Swirski 
sat  at  the  helm  and  they  began  to  glide 
over  the  polished  deep.  After  awhile, 
having  passed  the  luxurious  private  yachts. 


100  On  the  Sunny  Shore, 

they  approached  the  ironclads,  whose 
quiet,  enormous  black  bodies  were  out- 
lined harshly  and  prominently  in  the 
southern  sun.  The  deck  of  the  Formida- 
ble was  already  decorated  with  multi- 
colored lanterns  for  the  morrow's  ball,  to 
which  Swirski  was  to  be  invited.  The 
sailors  on  board  of  the  monster  looked  like 
pigmies  compared  to  the  dimensions  of 
the  vessel.  The  iron  sides  of  the  man-of- 
war,  smokestacks,  masts,  were  all  reflected 
in  the  transparent  waters  as  in  a  mirror. 
Prom  time  to  time  a  military  boat,  looking 
like  a  black  worm,  moving  its  feet  regu- 
larly, passed  among  the  ironclads.  Be- 
yond the  vessels  was  an  empty  space, 
where  the  boat  in  which  Swirski  w^as  sit- 
ting rose  and  fell  with  a  broad  and 
gentle  movement.  They  approached 
high  rocks  to  the  right  of  the  wharf,  along 
which  ran  a  gray,  dusty  road;  further  on 
was  the  parade  ground,  where  the  soldiers 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  lOi 

drilled  and  practiced  military  maneuvers. 
Finally,  having  passed  the  cliff,  round 
which  the  waves  coming  from  the  sea  were 
splashing,  they  emerged  on  to  the  open 
waters. 

Outside  a  seaport  there  is  always  some 
breeze;  therefore  the  fisherman  began  to 
spread  the  sail,  and  Swirski,  instead  of 
directing  toward  Nice,  turned  the  boat 
toward  the  sea.  And  as  they  proceeded 
straight  ahead,  balanced  by  the  waves,  the 
sun  went  down.  The  rocks  and  the  sea 
turned  crimson.  Everything  around  was 
tranquil,  quiet,  and  so  gigantic  that  the 
thought  came  to  Swirski:  How  small  and 
paltry  is  life  compared  with  the  infinity 
which  surrounded  him  at  that  moment! 
He  felt  as  if  he  had  left  all  his  own  and 
other  people^s  affairs  and  had  gone  far,  far 
away.  Pani  Elzen,  Eomulus,  Eemus,  all 
acquaintances  and  the  people  swarming 
on  the    shore,   full    of    life,  uneasiness. 


102  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

mean  ambition  and  low  passions,  became 
smaller  to  him.  And  being  a  man  accus- 
tomed to  digest  and  analyze  his  thoughts 
and  impressions,  he  was  afraid  that  if  he 
were  really  in  love  with  Pani  Elzen  her 
image  would  not  have  been  thus  veiled, 
disturbed,  diminished,  and  would  never 
have  disappeared.  Swirski  recollected 
how  once,  after  the  wedding  of  a  woman 
with  whom  he  was  in  love  to  another,  he 
had  left  his  country.  For  the  first  time 
then  he  saw  Kome,  Sicily,  the  sea,  the 
shores  of  Africa — and  none  of  those  im- 
pressions could  erase  the  image  of 
the  beloved  woman.  In  the  galleries, 
on  the  sea,  and  in  the  desert  she 
was  with  him,  and  he  felt  everything 
through  her,  and  everywhere  he  spoke  to 
her  as  if  she  were  present.  The  difference 
between  those  former  years  and  to-day 
made  him  sad. 
But  the  quietude  of  the  evening  and  of 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  103 

the  sea  pacified  him.  They  went  so  far 
that  the  shore  began  to  disappear.  Then 
the  sun  set  and  the  stars  began  to  shine 
one  after  another.  The  dolphins,  which 
by  twilight  like  to  swim  around  a  boat, 
breaking  the  surface  of  the  deep  with  their 
sharp  backs,  disappeared  and  everything 
was  quiet.  The  surface  of  the  water  be- 
came so  smooth  that  the  sail  hung  flat. 
Finally  the  moon  appeared  from  behind 
the  mountains  and  bathed  the  sea  with  a 
greenish  light  as  far  as  the  limits  of  the 
horizon.  A  quiet,  fair  southern  night 
began. 

Swirski  wrapped  himself  in  the  fisher- 
man^s  pelerine  and  began  to  think.  "Every- 
thing that  surrounds  me  is  not  only  beau- 
tiful but  true  also.  Human  life,  if  it  is 
to  be  normal,  must  be  inoculated  on  the 
trunk  of  nature — must  grow  from  it  as  a 
branch  grows  from  the  tree  and  exists  on 
the  strength  of  the  same  laws.     Then  it 


104:  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

will  be  true  and  moral,  because  in  fact 
morality  is  nothing  else  than  the  harmony 
of  life  with  the  general  laws  of  nature. 
Here  I  am  surrounded  by  simplicity  and 
quietude;  I  understand  it  only  as  an  artist, 
for  I  don't  have  them  in  myself  as  a  man, 
because  my  life  as  well  as  the  life  of  those 
people  among  whom  I  live  is  far  from  na- 
ture— it  ceases  to  be  governed  by  its  laws 
and  has  become  a  lie.  Everything  in  us 
is  artificial.  We  have  lost  even  the  senti- 
ment of  natural  laws.  Our  relations  are 
based  on  falsehood,  we  have  crooked  minds, 
sick  souls  and  passions.  We  deceive  each 
other  and  ourselves,  and  finally  nobody  is 
sure  whether  he  really  wishes  that  which 
he  wants  or  whether  he  is  able  to  do  that 
which  he  wishes. '^ 

And  at  once,  in  the  presence  of  the  con- 
trast of  that  night,  of  the  infinity  of  the 
sea,  of  the  stars,  of  the  whole  of  nature,  of 
its  peacefulness,  simplicity  and  might,  ^ 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  105 

sentiment  of  a  gigantic  lie  in  everyday 
relations  seized  him.  This  love  for  Pani 
Elzen  appeared  to  him  to  be  a  lie;  her 
relation  to  him  a  lie,  to  the  children,  to 
other  men,  to  the  world;  this  life  on  the 
sunny  shore,  the  present  and  his  own 
future  a  lie. 

"It  surrounds  me  like  a  net,^^  he 
thought,  "  and  I  don^t  know  how  to  escape 
from  it!^^  And  in  fact  it  was  true,  because 
if  the  whole  life  is  a  lie  then  what  shall 
one  do?  Eeturn  to  nature?  Begin  some 
kind  of  wild,  half -peasant  life?  Break 
with  people  and  turn  reformer?  Swirski 
felt  that  he  was  too  old  and  too  skeptical 
for  that.  For  that,  it  would  be  necessary 
to  have  Kresowicz^s  dogmatism  and  feel 
the  evil  in  order  to  get  a  stimulant  for 
reform  and  strength  for  the  fight,  and  not 
look  at  it  as  an  impression  which  may  be 
weakened  to-morrow! 

But  another  thought  came  to  Swirski, 


106  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

One  who  does  not  feel  strong  enough  to 
reform  the  world  can  escape  from  it  for  a 
certain  time  and  rest.  To-morrow  he 
could  be  in  Marseilles,  and  a  couple  of 
days  after  somewhere  else,  perhaps  on  the 
ocean,  hundreds  of  miles  from  the  shore — 
from  sickly  life,  from  its  lies  and  swindles. 
In  that  way  everything  would  be  untied, 
or  rather  cut  as  with  a  knife. 

And  at  one  moment  he  was  seized  with 
such  a  desire  to  turn  this  thought  into  a 
deed  that  he  ordered  the  boatman  to  return 
to  Nice. 

^^An  animal  seeing  that  he  is  in  a  net,^^ 
thought  he,  ^^  before  all  else  tries  to  dis- 
entangle himself  from  it.  It^s  the  first  law 
and  it^s  in  harmony  with  nature;  there- 
fore it^s  moral.  Pani  Elzen  alone  is  not 
my  net.  It's  everything  taken  together. 
But  at  the  same  time  I  feel  that  if  I  marry 
her  I  would  marry  the  life  of  the  lie.  Even 
perhaps  it  would  not  be  her  fault,  but  the 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  107 

necessity  of  things — and  it^s  always  per- 
mitted to  escape  from  such  landscapes/^ 

Here  he  began  to  imagine  other  land- 
scapes, which  he  was  going  to  see  in  his 
flight:  vast  expanses  of  water  and  sand, 
unknown  countries  and  peoples,  the  sin- 
cerity and  truth  of  their  primitive  life, 
finally  the  variety  of  incidents  and  the 
great  difference  between  the  future  and 
present  days. 

^^  I  deserved  it  a  long  time  ago!'^  he  said 
to  himself. 

Then  another  thought  came  to  his  mind 
— a  thought  which  may  come  only  to  an 
artist — that  wlien  one  ^^giyeshis fiancee  tlie 
cold  shake '^  and  goes,  for  instance,  to 
Paris,  such  a  deed  would  constitute  suita- 
ble groundwork  for  ^'bad  literature, ^^  but 
if  one  escapes  somewhere  as  far  as  the 
equator,  where  the  pepper  grows,  the  fact 
of  j  escaping  becomes  smaller  compared 
with  the  great  distance — the  act  creates  a 


108  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

different  impression,  looks  more  original, 
and  is  more  fashionable. 

^^And  I  shall  go/'  thought  he,  ^^  deuced- 
ly  far!^^ 

In  the  meanwhile  Nice  appeared  to  him 
in  the  form  of  a  rope  of  lights.  In  the 
middle  of  this  rope  the  building  called 
^^Jetee-Promenade^^  shone  like  a  gigantic 
lantern.  In  proportion  as  the  boat,  pro- 
pelled by  a  strong  wind,  approached  the 
wharf,  each  of  those  lights  changed  into  a 
fiery  pillar  shivering  on  the  moving  line 
of  the  shore.  The  sight  of  those  lights 
made  Swirski  sober. 

^^The  city!— and  the  life!''  thought  he. 
And  at  once  all  his  previous  projects 
began  to  disappear  like  nightmares,  born 
of  the  emptiness  and  the  night.  That 
which  awhile  ago  he  considered  right,  easy 
and  necessary  to  be  executed,  seemed  to 
him  now  to  be  a  fancy,  bare  of  common 
sense  and  even  dishonest     ^'Jfo  matter 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  109 

what  is  the  life,  one  must  be  careful.  One 
who  has  lived  under  its  laws  as  long  as  I 
have  lived  must  feel  that  he  is  obliged  to 
respect  those  laws.  It's  not  difficult  to 
say  to  one's  self:  ^I  used  them  as  long  as 
they  were  useful  to  me;'  but  the  moment 
I  am  bothered  I  return  to  nature." 

Then  he  began  to  think  hard — not  about 
general  theories,  but  about  Pani  Elzen. 

'^  By  what  right  should  I  leave  her?  If 
her  life  was  artificial  and  false,  if  her  past 
is  not  clear,  I  have  known  about  it  and 
was  not  obliged  to  propose.  Now  I  would 
be  right  to  break  with  her  only  if  I  had 
discovered  in  her  some  evil  which  she  had 
concealed  from  me,  or  if  in  some  way  she 
were  guilty  toward  me.  But  she  is  not 
guilty  at  all.  She  was  honest  and  sincere 
with  me.  At  any  rate  there  is  something 
in  her  which  attracts  me  toward  her; 
otherwise  I  would  not  have  proposed. 
There  are  moments  in  which  I  feel  that  I 


110  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

am  in  love  with  her,  and  if  sometimes 
some  doubts  arise  in  me  why  should  she 
suffer  for  it?  My  flight  would  at  least 
wrong  her/' 

He  understood  that  for  a  decent  man  to 
think  about  flight,  and  to  accomplish  it, 
were  two  opposite  extremes.  He  could 
only  dream  about  it.  Eather  he  would 
ask  Pani  Elzen  to  give  him  back  his  word. 
But  to  escape  the  danger — it  would  be  a 
thing  unworthy  of  his  personal  character 
and  his  thoroughly  civilized  race.  Finally 
the  thought  that  he  would  wrong  Pani 
Elzen  filled  him  with  sorrow  and  she 
became  dearer  to  him. 

They  reached  the  wharf  and  in  a  few 
minutes  landed.  He  paid  the  fisherman, 
took  a  cab,  and  ordered  the  coachman  to 
drive  him  to  his  studio.  On  the  street, 
amid  the  noise,  lights  and  movement,  he 
was  again  seized  by  a  longing  after  the 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  Ill 

solitude,  after  that  infinity  of  the  waters, 
after  that  tranquillity  and  that  great  God^s 
truth  with  which  he  had  departed  awhile 
before.  Finally  when  near  the  studio  the 
following  thought  came  to  his  mind: 

^^It^s  strange/^  thought  he,  ^^that  I, 
who  was  so  much  afraid  of  women  and 
whom  I  distrusted  so  much,  should  finally 
select  a  woman  who  is  able  to  arouse  more 
troublesome  impressions  than  all  others 
can  do/' 

Some  kind  of  fatalism  was  in  this  whole 
affair,  and  without  doubt  Swirski  would 
have  found  in  that  coincidence  abundant 
material  for  reflection  during  the  whole 
evening  if  not  for  the  fact  that  immedi- 
ately after  he  entered  the  house  the  servant 
handed  him  two  letters.  One  contained 
an  invitation  for  the  ball  on  the  Formida- 
ble, the  other  was  from  Mme.  Lageat,  tlie 
landlady.     She  wrote  him  that  she  was 


112  On  the  Sunny  Shore, 

going  to  Marseilles  for  a  couple  of  days, 
and  she  also  announced  some  news — that 
she  had  found  a  model  which  ought  to 
satisfy  the  most  exquisite  taste — the  girl 
was  coming  to-morrow. 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  113 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Ik  fact  the  announced  God's  masterpiece 
came  the  next  day  at  nine  o'clock.  Swir- 
ski  was  already  dressed,  waiting  impa- 
tiently and  full  of  uneasiness.  Happily 
his  fears  proved  to  be  vain:  the  first  glance 
satisfied  him.  The  young  girl  was  tall, 
very  graceful,  had  a  small  head,  delicate 
face,  beautiful  hair,  long  eyelashes  and 
a  very  fresh  complexion.  But  Swirski  was 
principally  pleased  that  she  had  ^^her  own 
face ''  and  great  charm  in  its  expression. 
*^She  has  noble  movements,''  thought  he, 
^^  and  if  she  is  as  well  formed  as  she  looks, 
then  ^Eureka!'  I  will  engage  her  for  a 
long  time!" 

He  was  also  impressed  by  her  timidity 


114:  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

aiicl  frightened  looks.  It  is  true  he  knew 
that  models  sometimes  imitate  modesty. 
But  he  supposed  that  this  one  did  not 
imitate. 

^^  What  is  thy  name,  my  dear  girl?^^ 

*^  Maria  Cervi.^^ 

'^Art  thou  from  Nice?'' 

^^  Yes,  from  Nice.'' 

"  Hast  thou  posed  already?" 

''  ISTo,  sir." 

^^Experienced  models  know  what  one 
requires  from  them;  there  is  a  great  bother 
with  fresh  ones.  Thou  never  posed  in  thy 
life?" 

^^No,  sir." 

^^  How  didst  thou  get  the  idea  to  become 
a  model?" 

The  girl  hesitated  for  a  moment  and 
blushed. 

*^Mme.  Lageat  told  me  that  I  would  be 
able  to  earn  some  money  that  way." 

^'  Yes,  but  thou  art  afraid.     Why  art 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  115 

thou  afraid?  I  am  not  going  to  eat  thee 
np!  How  much  wilt  thou  ask  for  the 
sitting  ?^^ 

^^Mme.  Lageat  told  me  that  you  pay 
five  francs/^ 

^^Mme.  Lageat  was  mistaken.  I  pay 
ten  francs." 

The  girFs  face  lighted  up  with  joy,  and 
she  blushed  still  more. 

^^When  shall  I  begin?"  she  asked  with 
trembling  voice. 

^^ To-day — immediately!"  said  Swirski, 
pointing  to  the  unfinished  picture.  ^^  There 
is  the  screen;  go  and  undress!  Only  to 
the  waist.  Thou  wilt  pose  for  the  head, 
for  the  breast  and  part  of  the  hips." 

She  turned  toward  him  her  astonished 
face,  and  her  hands  dropped  slowly  to  her 
side. 

"What  do  you  mean,  sir?"  asked  she 
timidly,  looking  at  him  with  frightened 
eyes. 


116  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

He  answered  a  little  bit  impatiently: 

^'  My  dear  girl,  I  understand  that  the 
first  time  it  may  be  hard.  But  either  one 
is  a  model  or  not.  I  need  a  head,  a  bust 
and  a  part  of  the  hips  very  badly,  un- 
derstand? Then  thou  must  know  that 
there  is  nothing  bad,  and  before  all  thou 
must  think  it  over,  and  be  quick,  because 
if  thou  dost  not  wish,  I  will  be  obliged 
to  find  some  one  else.^^ 

He  spoke  thus  a  little  bit  uneasily,  be- 
cause inwardly  he  wished  her  to  stay,  and 
if  she  did  not  he  would  be  obliged  to  search 
for  another.  In  the  meanwhile  there  was 
a  silence.  The  model  became  very  pale, 
but  after  awhile  she  went  quietly  behind 
the  screen. 

Swirski  began  to  move  the  easels  toward 
the  window  and  place  them  properly,  in 
the  meanwhile  thinking: 

''  She  will  become  accustomed,  and  in  a 
week  will  laugh  at  her  scruples.^' 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  117 

Then  he  placed  a  sofa,  on  which  the 
model  was  to  lie  down,  picked  up  his 
brushes  and  became  impatient: 

^^Well,  art  thou  ready?'' 

Silence. 

^^Decide!    What  a  joke r 

From  behind  the  screen  was  heard  a 
voice  vibrating  with  an  entreating  suppli- 
cation. 

"Panic!*  I  thought  that —  There  is 
great  misery  in  our  house,  but  that  way — 
I — can't!  If  you  would  be  so  kind  as  to 
let  me  pose  only  for  the  head — even  for 
three  francs,  even  for  two — if  you  would 
be  so  kind " 

And  the  words  changed  into  a  sobbing. 

Swirski  turned  toward  the  screen, 
dropped  his  brushes  and  opened  his  mouth. 
He  was  astounded,  because  the  model 
spoke  in  his  own  language. 

*From  ''Pan:"  lord. 


118  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

'^So  yon  are  a  Polish  lady?^'  said  he 
finally,  and  he  forgot  that  awhile  before 
he  had  used  ^^  thou  ^'  in  speaking  to  her. 

'^  Yes,  Panie!  It  is — my  father  was  an 
Italian,  but  my  grandfather  was  a  Pole.^^ 

There  was  silence  again.  Swirski  re- 
gained his  self-possession  and  said: 

"  Dress  yourself  again.  You  shall  pose 
only  for  the  head.^' 

But  evidently  she  had  not  even  begun 
to  undress,  because  she  came  from  behind 
the  screen  immediately,  bashful  and  con- 
fused, full  of  fright  and  with  traces  of 
tears  on  her  cheeks. 

^^  Thank  you,  sir,^^  said  she.  ^^You 
are —    You  must  excuse  me,  but " 

*^Bequiet,^Mnterrupted  Swirski.  ^'Her© 
is  a  chair!  be  quiet.  You  will  pose  for 
the  head —  To  the  deuce!  I  did  not 
wish  to  insult  you.  Do  you  see  this  pic- 
ture? I  needed  a  model  to  paint  this 
figure.     But  as  long  as  you  can^t  stand  it. 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  119 

that's  different,  especially  when  yon  are  a 
Polish  lady/' 

The  tears  began  to  flow  again,  but  her 
blue  eyes  looked  at  him  with  gratitude; 
he  found  a  bottle  of  wine,  poured  some 
into  a  glass,  and  handing  it  to  her,  said: 

'^  You  must  drink.  I  have  some  crack- 
ers somewhere,  but  the  deuce  knows  where 
they  are.     Pray  be  quiet.'' 

Speaking  thus,  he  looked  at  her  with 
honest  sympathy,  then  he  said: 

"Poor  child!" 

Then  he  put  the  easel  in  its  former 
place,  saying: 

"You  can't  pose  to-day;  you  are  too 
excited.  We  shall  begin  to-morrow.  Let 
us  talk  to-day.  Who  could  suppose  Maria 
Cervi  to  be  a  Polish  lady?  You  said  your 
grandfather  was  a  Pole.     Is  he  living?" 

"He  is  living,  but  for  two  years  has 
been  unable  to  walk." 

"What  is  his  name?" 


120  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

^^  Orysiewich/^  answered  she,  pronounc- 
ing it  with  a  foreign  accent. 

*^1  know  the  name.  How  long  since  he 
left  the  country  ?^^ 

'^Grandpa  has  not  been  in  Poland  for 
sixty-five  years.  He  served  in  the  Italian 
army,  then  in  a  bank  in  Nice.^^ 

"How  old  is  he ?^' 

"  Grandpa  is  ninety.^^ 

"  Your  father's  name  was  Cervi?^^ 

"Yes.  Papa  came  from  Nice,  but  he 
also  served  in  the  Italian  army.^^ 

"How  long  since  he  died?'^ 

"Five  years  ago.'' 

"  Is  your  mother  living?" 

"  My  mother  is  living.  We  live  together 
in  old  Nice." 

"That's  right,"  said  Swirski.  "One 
question  more:  Does  yonr  mother  know 
that  you  wished  to  become  a  model?" 

The  girl  answered  hesitatingly: 

"  No.     Mother  doesn't  know  it.     Mme. 


On  the  Sunnj^  Shore.  121 

Lageat  told  me  that  in  that  way  I  could 
earn  five  francs  a  day,  and  as  we  are  poor — 
very  poor — therefore — I  was  obliged ^^ 

Swirski  with  a  qnick  glance  took  in  the 
girl  from  her  feet  to  the  top  of  her  head, 
and  he  knew  she  was  speaking  the  truth. 
Everything  spoke  of  poverty,  from  the  hat 
and  the  old,  worn-out,  faded  dress,  of 
which  one  could  see  every  thread  of  its 
texture,  to  the  gloves,  which  were  mended 
and  grown  red. 

^^  You  had  better  go  home  now,''  said 
he,  *^  and  tell  your  mother  that  the  painter 
Swirski  wishes  you  to  pose  to  him  for  a 
head.  Tell  her  also  that  the  painter  will 
call  at  your  house  in  order  to  beg  her  to 
accompany  you  to  his  studio  when  you 
come  to  pose,  and  that  he  will  pay  you  ten 
francs  a  day.'' 

Panna  Cervi  thanked  him  with  tears  in 
her  eyes.  And  he,  noticing  her  confusion, 
said: 


122  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

"  I  will  be  there  within  one  hour.  You 
look  to  be  a  very  honest  girL  You  must 
trust  me.  I  am  a  little  bit  of  a  bear,  but 
I  can  understand  many  things.  Aha!  one 
thing!  I  will  not  give  you  money  now, 
for  you  would  be  obliged  to  explain  how 
you  got  it,  but  I  will  bring  and  ad- 
vance to  you  what  will  be  necessary.  I 
have  sometimes  been  hard  up,  and  I  know 
what  a  quick  help  means.  Don't  thank 
me!    Good-by,  child — in  an  hour!'' 

Having  asked  her  address,  he  conducted 
the  girl  downstairs.  In  an  hour  he 
took  a  carriage  and  told  the  coachman  to 
drive  him  to  old  Nice.  Everything  that 
had  happened  seemed  to  him  so  strange 
that  he  could  not  think  of  anything  else. 
In  the  meanwhile  he  was  satisfied  as  an 
honest  man  is  satisfied  when  he  has  acted 
as  he  ought  to  act  toward  himself  and  an- 
other who  was  deserving  of  kindness. 
^*  If  Panna  Cervi  is  not  a  good  andhonest 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  123 

girl/^  he  thought,  "  then  I  am  the  biggest 
ass  in  the  whole  of  Liguria/^ 

But  he  did  not  admit  that  it  was  possi- 
ble. On  the  contrary  he  was  sure  that  he 
had  met  a  very  honest  w^omanly  soul,  and 
he  was  pleased  that  this  sonl  was  placed 
in  such  a  young  and  beautiful  body. 

Finally  the  carriage  stopped  before  an 
old  and  weatherbeaten  house.  The  house- 
keeper contemptuously  showed  Swirski  to 
Pani  Cervi^s  apartments. 

^^A  home  of  misery  !^^  thought  the 
painter,  mounting  the  dirty  stairs. 

He  rapped  at  the  door. 

^^  Come  in!'^  said  a  voice  within.  Swir- 
ski entered.  He  was  welcomed  by  a 
woman  about  forty  years  old,  dressed  in 
black  —  thin,  sad,  evidently  broken  in 
health,  but  having  nothing  common  in 
her  manner.  Beside  her  stood  Panna 
Cervi. 

^^  I  know  all  about  it,  and  I  thank  you 


124  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

from  my  heart  and  soul  P  said  Pani  Cervi. 
'*May  God  reward  and  bless  you/^ 

Speaking  thus,  she  seized  his  hand  and 
bent  her  head  as  if  she  wished  to  kiss  it. 
But  he  withdrew  it  quickly,  and  then, 
wishing  to  break  the  solemnity  of  the  mo- 
ment, he  turned  toward  Panna  Maria,  and, 
threatening  her  with  his  finger,  said,  with 
the  freedom  of  an  old  friend: 

^^Aha!  this  young  person  told  every- 
thing!" Panna  Maria,  instead  of  answer- 
ing, smiled  at  him,  a  little  bit  sadly  and 
with  embarrassment.  She  seemed  to  him 
more  beautiful  than  in  the  studio.  He 
noticed  also  that  she  had  around  her  neck 
a  pink  ribbon,  which  she  had  not  had 
before.  He  was  flattered,  because  it  was 
a  proof  that  she  did  not  consider  him 
an  old  man,  and  had  dressed  to  please 
him. 

In  the  meanwhile  Pani  Cervi  said :  ''  Yes, 
Maria  told  me  everything.     God  watched 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  125 

over  her  and  over  ns,  and  He  helped  her 
to  meet  such  a  good  man  as  you  are/' 

To  this  Swirski  said : 

^'  Panna  Maria  spoke  to  me  about  the 
hardships  in  which  you  are  living,  but 
pray  believe  that  it  is  a  blessing,  even 
in  hard  circumstances,  to  have  such  a 
daughter/^ 

^^  Yes/^  quietly  answered  Pani  Cervi. 

^^As  for  me,  I  am  glad  to  have  met  you, 
because  I  was  searching  in  vain.  Now  I 
am  easy  about  my  picture.  Only  I  must 
assure  myself  about  my  model. '^ 

And  speaking  thus,  he  took  three  hun- 
dred francs  from  his  pocketbook  and 
begged  of  Pani  Cervi  to  accept  it,  assur- 
ing her  that  he  was  doing  a  splendid  busi- 
ness, and  thanks  to  Panna  Maria  he  would 
get  lots  of  money  for  his  picture.  And 
then  he  expressed  a  desire  to  meet  *^  grand- 
pa, ^^  because  he  was  always  fond  of  old 
soldiers. 


126  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

Panna  Maria  rnshed  into  the  second 
room;  after  a  moment  the  noise  of  a  chair 
on  wheels  was  heard,  and  the  grandfather, 
whom  they  had  dressed,  in  honor  of  the 
guest,  in  a  uniform  and  all  the  decorations 
received  in  Italy,  was  drawn  into  the  room. 

Swirski  then  perceived  the  small  and 
wrinkled  face  of  an  old  man,  with  snow- 
white  mustache  and  hair;  he  had  blue, 
widely-opened  eyes,  resembling  those  of  a 
child. 

'^  Grandpa, ^^  said  Panna  Maria,  bending 
down  so  that  the  old  man  could  see  her 
lips,  and  speaking  precisely,  slowly  and 
loudly,  ^^  it's  Pan  Swirski,  a  countryman, 
an  artist.'' 

The  old  man  turned  his  blue  eyes  toward 
him,  looked  at  him  and  repeated: 

'^  Conntryman?    Yes  !     Countryman! " 

Then  he  smiled,  looked  at  his  daughter 
and  granddaughter,  then  again  at  Swirski; 
for  awhile  he  was  searching  for  words; 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  127 

finally  he  asked,  in  old  and  trembling 
voice: 

^^And  in  the  spring — what?^* 

Evidently  he  had  some  thought  in  his 
mind  that  he  conld  not  express.  He  bent 
his  trembling  head  on  the  armchair,  and 
looking  at  the  window  he  smiled,  repeat- 
ing: 

^^Yes,  yes!    It  will  be r 

^^He  is  always  that  way T^  said  Panna 
Maria. 

Swirski  looked  at  him  with  emotion  and 
Pani  Cervi  began  to  talk  about  her  father 
and  husband.  Both  were  in  the  war 
against  Austria  for  the  independence  of 
Italy.  They  lived  in  Florence  for  some 
time,  and  returned  to  Nice  only  when 
Rome  was  taken.  In  Nice  the  younger 
comrade  had  married  Orysiewich's  daugh- 
ter, and  both  got  positions  in  a  bank. 
Everything  went  smoothly,  till  a  few 
years  ago  Cervi  was  killed  in  a  railroad 


128  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

accident,  and  Orysiewich  lost  his  position 
on  account  of  old  age.  Since  that  time 
their  hardships  began^,  because  the  only 
source  for  their  living  was  a  pension  of 
six  hundred  lires  paid  to  the  old  man  by 
the  Italian  government.  It  was  enough 
to  preserve  them  from  starvation,  but  not 
enough  to  live  on.  Both  women  earned 
something  by  sewing  and  teaching,  but  in 
the  summer,  when  everything  became 
quiet  in  !N"ice,  and  one  could  not  earn 
anything,  their  small  resources  were  soon 
exhausted.  For  two  years  the  old  man 
had  not  walked;  he  was  sick,  and  being 
obliged  to  pay  the  doctor  and  buy  medi- 
cine, they  grew  poorer  and  poorer. 

Swirski  while  listening  made  two  men- 
tal observations:  In  the  first  place,  that 
Pani  Cervi  spoke  Polish  worse  than  her 
daughter.  Evidently  the  old  man,  during 
the  campaign,  had  not  devoted  as  much 
time  to  his  daughter  as  he    did  after- 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  129 

ward  to  his  granddaughter.  But  the 
other  idea  was  more  important  to 
Swirski.  He  thought  that  this  grand- 
daughter, being  such  a  beautiful  girl, 
could  in  Nice,  on  that  shore,  on  which 
every  year  were  strolling  many  million- 
aires, get  plenty  of  gold,  keep  carriages, 
servants,  and  have  a  boudoir  upholstered 
with  satin.  But  she  wore  an  old  dress, 
and  a  faded  pink  ribbon  was  her  only 
luxury.  There  must  be  some  force 
which  preserved  her  from  evil.  ^*For 
this,^^  Swirski  said  to  himself,  '^  two  things 
are  necessary:  a  pure  nature  and  an  hon- 
est bringing  up.  There  is  no  doubt  that  I 
have  met  both.'^ 

And  he  felt  at  ease  among  these  people. 
He  noticed  also  that  poverty  had  not 
rubbed  out  the  traces  of  good  breeding 
and  of  a  certain  refinement  which  comes 
from  within  and  seems  to  be  something 
natural.     Both  mother  and  daughter  re- 


130  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

ceived  him  as  a  providential  guest,  but  in 
their  words  and  mien  one  could  still  see  a 
greater  pleasure  that  they  had  met  an 
honest  man  than  because  he  had  helped 
them. 

It  was  possible  that  those  three  hundred 
francs  spared  the  family  many  sorrows 
and  humiliations,  but  he  felt,  just  the 
same,  that  both  women  were  more  grateful 
to  him  that  in  the  studio  he  had  acted 
like  a  man  with  a  good  and  tender  heart 
who  had  understood  the  girFs  grief, 
shame  and  sacrifice.  But  he  was  pleased 
most  by  noticing  that  in  Panna  Cervi^s 
bashfulness,  in  her  charming  looks,  there 
was  that  embarrassment  which  a  girl 
only  feels  in  the  presence  of  a  man  toward 
whom  she  feels  gratitude,  and  who  in  the 
meanwhile,  according  to  Swirski^s  own 
expression,  ^^is  still  in  the  circulation.^' 
He  was  forty-five  years  old,  and  notwith- 
standing a  young  heart,  he  began  to  doubt 


On  the  Sunnj-  Shore.  131 

himself;  therefore  that  pink  ribbon  and 
his  observation  caused  him  real  pleasure. 
And  he  talked  to  them  with  as  much 
respect  and  attention  as  if  they  were  ladies 
of  the  best  society,  and  seeing  this,  they 
appreciated  that  he  was  pleased.  He 
shook  hands  with  both  of  them,  and  when 
Panna  Maria,  with  drooping  eyes,  gave 
him  the  whole  strength  of  her  warm 
and  young  hand,  he  became  a  little  bit 
dizzy,  and  his  head  was  so  filled  with 
the  pretty  model  that  the  coachman  was 
obliged  to  ask  him  twice  where  he  wished 
to  go. 

While  in  the  carriage  he  was  thinking 
that  it  would  not  be  proper  to  paint  Panna 
Maria's  head  on  some  other  girFs  body, 
and  he  tried  to  persuade  himself  that  it 
would  be  better  to  cover  the  bust  of  the 
sleeping  girl  with  a  light  drapery. 

^^When  I  return  I  will  call  any  model; 
I  will  cover  her  and  make  such  changes 


132  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

that  to-morrow  they  may  find  the  thing 
ready /^  said  he  to  himself. 

Then  he  thought  that  he  could  not  hire 
Panna  Cervi  forever^  and  he  was  sorry 
for  it. 

The  carriage  stopped  before  the  studio. 
Swirski  paid  the  driver  and  stepped  out, 

'^  There  is  a  telegram  for  you,  sir/^  said 
the  housekeeper  to  him. 

The  painter  awakened  as  from  a  dream. 

^^ Aha!"  said  he;  ^^  very  well!  give  it  to 
me!" 

And  having  taken  the  telegram  from 
the  housekeeper,  he  opened  it  impatiently. 
But  as  soon  as  he  glanced  at  it  astonish- 
ment and  fright  appeared  on  his  face, 
because  the  telegram  read  as  follows: 

"Kresowicz  killed  himself  an  hour  ago. 
Come.  Helene." 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  133 


CHAPTER  VII. 

When  Pani  Elzen  met  Swirski  her  face 
looked  confused  and  irritated;  her  eyes 
were  dry  but  red,  as  if  she  had  been  cry- 
ing; her  manner  was  full  of  impatience. 

^^Have  you  received  any  letter  ?^^  she 
asked  him  hastily. 

^^No.  I  received  only  yoar  telegram. 
What  a  misfortune  !^^ 

^^I  thought  he  had  written  to  you."" 

''  No.     When  did  it  happen  r 

"This  morning;  they  heard  a  shot  in 
his  room.  The  servants  rushed  in  and 
found  him  dead.^^ 

"Herein  the  hotel?'' 

"N"o.  Happily  he  went  yesterday  to 
Contamine.^' 


134  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

^^What  is  the  cause  of  it?'' 

'^How  can  I  know?''  she  answered  im- 
patiently. 

^^  Because  as  far  as  I  know  he  did  not 
gamble." 

^^No.  They  found  some  money  on 
him." 

^^  Was  it  yesterday  that  you  dismissed 
him?" 

^^  Yes,  but  he  asked  me  to  do  it." 

^^ Perhaps  he  took  it  too  seriously." 

^^I  don't  know/''  she  said  feverishly. 
^^If  he  wanted  to  kill  himself  he  ought 
to  have  gone  away.  But  he  was  a  mad- 
man— that  explains  everything!  Why  did 
he  not  go  away?" 

Swirski  looked  at  her  attentively. 

^^  Quiet  yourself,"  said  he. 

But  she  misunderstood  him  and  said: 

^^  Because  it's  very  unpleasant  for  me, 
and  then  there  might  be  some  trouble! 
Who  knows  if  I  will  not  be  obliged  to  go  to 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  135 

court  as  a  witness?  How  can  I  know? 
What  a  dreadful  thing!  And  then  there 
will  be  some  gossip.  First  Wiadrowski! 
I  wanted  to  ask  you  to  tell  among  your 
friends  that  he  gambled  and  had  lost  my 
money^  and  that  was  the  reason  for  the 
suicide.  If  you  think  that  it  will  be  nec- 
essary to  repeat  it  in  court  it  will  then  be 
better  not  to  speak  about  it,  because  it 
may  come  out  that  it  is  not  true;  but  you 
can  say  it  to  the  people.  If  he  had  gone 
at  least  to  Mentona  or  to  Nice!  Then 
God  knows  whether  he  had  written  any- 
thing before  his  death  in  order  to  avenge 
himself  on  me.  If  some  letter  should  fall 
into  the  hands  of  a  newspaper  man!  One 
may  expect  anything  from  this  kind  of 
people.  I  wanted  to  leave  Nice,  but  now 
I  must.'' 

Swirski  looked  more  and  more  atten- 
tively on  her  troubled  face  with  closed 
lips;  finally  he  said: 


136  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

^^Howhorridr 

^^  Yes,  it  is  horrid P  answered  Pani  El- 
zen.  '^  Would  it  not  increase  the  gossip 
if  we  leave  to-morrow  ?^^ 

^^I  don^t  think  so/^  said  Swirski. 

And  he  inquired  about  the  hotel  in 
which  Kresowicz  shot  himself,  and  said 
that  he  would  go  there  to  get  some  news 
and  arrange  for  the  funeral. 

But  she  wanted  to  stop  him,  so  he  said: 

^^  Madam!  he  is  not  a  dog,  but  a  man, 
and  it's  proper  to  bury  him  at  least/' 

*^  Somebody  will  bury  him  without  you," 
she  answered. 

Swirski  took  leave,  however,  and  went 
out.  On  the  stairs  of  the  hotel  he  raised 
his  hand  to  his  forehead  and  repeated: 

^^ How  horrid!" 

He  knew  by  experience  how  far  human 
egotism  can  go;  he  knew  also  that  women 
in  egotism  as  well  as  in  self-denial  overtop 
men;  he  recollected  that  he  had  already 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  137 

met  such  types  of  womanhood,  among 
whom,  under  the  exterior  coat  of  varnish, 
the  rough,  animal-like  egotism  was  hid- 
den— in  whom  all  moral  instinct  ended 
where  the  personal  interest  began.  Pani 
Elzen,  however,  was  able  to  astonish  him. 
^'  This  unfortunate  man,'^  said  he  to  him- 
self, ^^  was  an  instructor  of  her  children; 
he  used  to  live  with  her  under  the  same 
roof,  and  was  in  love  with  her.  And  she? 
Not  a  word  of  sympathy,  of  pity!  Noth- 
ing and  nothing!  She  is  angry  with  him 
for  the  trouble  he  has  caused  her,  that  he 
did  not  go  far  from  the  city,  that  he  has 
spoiled  the  season  for  her,  that  they  will 
talk  about  her;  but  she  never  thought  to 
ask  what  was  the  matter  with  him,  why 
he  killed  himself,  and  had  he  not  done  it 
for  her?  And  in  her  irritation  she  forgot 
that  she  had  betrayed  herself,  and  that,  if 
not  on  account  of  good  heart,  at  least  on 
account  of  good  sense,  she  ought  to  show 


138  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

to  me  that  she  is  better  than  that.  Ah  I 
what  a  spiritual  barbarism!  Appearances, 
appearances  that  is  all,  and  under  a  French 
corset  and  the  French  accent  the  primi- 
tive nature  of  a  true  Zulu  woman!  Civi- 
lization applied  to  the  skin  like  powder! 
Even  she  is  cheeky  enough  to  ask  me  to 
tell  the  people  that  he  was  gambling  with 
her  money.  Pooh!  May  a  thunderbolt 
strike  all  this  business  !^^ 

Thus  thinking  and  speaking,  he  reached 
Condamine  and  found  the  small  hotel  in 
which  the  suicide  was  committed.  In 
Kresowicz's  room  he  found  a  physician 
and  a  curt  official,  who  were  very  glad  he 
had  come,  because  they  expected  he  could 
give  them  some  information  about  the 
dead  man. 

''  He  left  a  note,^^  said  the  official,  ^^  ask- 
ing to  be  buried  in  a  common  grave,  and 
the  money  found  with  him  to  be  sent  to 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  139 

Zurich  to  an  address  given  hy  him.  He 
has  burned  all  papers.^' 

Swirski  looked  at  Kresowicz,  who  was 
lying  on  the  bed  with  opened,  frightened 
eyes. 

^^  The  dead  man  considered  himself  sick 
without  any  hope  of  recovery/^  said  he; 
'^that^s  probably  the  reason  he  has  com- 
mitted suicide.     He  never  gambled.  ^^ 

Then  he  said  everything  he  knew  about 
Kresowicz,  left  money  enough  to  purchase 
a  separate  grave,  and  went  out. 

While  walking  he  recollected  what 
Kresowicz  said  to  him  in  Xice  about  mi- 
crobes, also  his  answer  given  to  Wiadrow- 
ski,  that  he  had  joined  the  society  of 
^^  silent  ones, ^^  and  he  convinced  himself 
that  the  young  student  killed  himself 
because  he  doubted  if  he  could  ever  be 
cured. 

But  he  understood  also  that  some  sec- 
ondary reasons  might  be  admitted,  and 


140  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

among  them  the  unhappy  love  for  Pani 
Elzen  and  his  parting  from  her.  These 
thoughts  made  him  sad.  Kresowicz's 
body,  with  the  fright  in  his  eyes,  stood 
before  him.  He  thought  that  nobody 
plunged  into  that  fearful  darkness  without 
fright,  that  the  whole  life,  compared  with 
the  necessity  of  death,  was  one  of  gigantic 
tragical  nonsense,  and  he  returned  to  Pani 
Elzen  very  low  spirited. 

She  was  relieved  when  she  learned  that 
Kresowicz  had  not  left  any  papers.  She 
said  that  she  would  send  the  money  nec- 
essary for  a  decent  funeral,  and  now  talked 
about  him  with  a  certain  pity.  But  she 
could  not  make  Swirski  stay  with  her. 
The  painter  announced  that  he  must  go 
home. 

^^But  I  shall  see  you  at  least  in  the 
evening ?^^  said  she,  shaking  hands  with 
him.  "''I  wanted  to  go  to  Nice  toward 
evening,  and  go  with  you.'' 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  141 

"  Where  ?^^  asked  Swirski^  astonished. 

^^Have  you  forgotten?  To  the  ball  on 
board  the  Formidable/^ 

^^Ah!  you  are  then  going  to  the  ball?^^ 

*^If  you  only  knew  how  difficult  it  is 
for  me,  especially  after  such  an  unpleasant 
accident,  you  would  pity  me,  because,  in 
fact,  I  am  sorry  for  that  poor  young  man. 
But  I  must  do  it,  if  only  for  the  reason 
that  people  may  not  have  cause  for  sup- 
position/^ 

''  So?    Good-by r  said  Swirski. 

And  a  few  moments  afterward,  sitting 
in  the  train,  he  said  to  himself: 

^^  I  will  be  a  dead  crab  if  I  go  with  you 
to  a  ball  on  the  Formidable  or  to  any  other 
ball.'^ 


142         On  the  Sunny  Shore. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

But  the  next  day  his  sadness  had  passed 
when  Pani  Cervi  and  Panna  Maria  came  to 
his  studio.  Seeing  the  beautiful  fresh 
face  of  the  girl  he  became  even  joyful. 

In  the  studio  everything  was  ready;  the 
easel  was  placed  near  the  window,  the  sofa 
for  the  use  of  the  model  not  far  from  it. 
Pani  Lageat  received  the  most  precise 
order  not  to  let  anybody  in,  even  if  Queen 
Victoria  herself  should  call. 

Swirski  drew  the  curtains  and  darkened 
the  window  in  the  ceiling,  but  while  doing 
this  he  looked  continually  at  his  gracious 
model. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  ladies  took  off 
their  hats  and  Panna  Maria  asked : 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  143 

'^  What  shall  I  do  now  r 

'*  You  must  first  let  your  hair  iall,"  said 
Swirski. 

He  approached  her  and  she  raised  both 
hands  to  her  head.  It  was  apparent  that 
his  request  made  her  uneasy,  and  that  it 
seemed  strange  to  her.  And  Swirski 
looked  at  her  confused  face,  drooped  eyes, 
bent  figure,  and  the  elegant  lines  of  her 
hips,  and  thought  that  in  this  big  pail  of 
filth — Nice  —  he  had  discovered  a  true 
pearl. 

After  awhile  her  hair  fell  over  her 
shoulders.  Panna  Maria  shook  her  head 
to  dishevel  it,  and  it  covered  her  com- 
pletely. 

^^Corpo  Dio  r  exclaimed  Swirski.  The 
more  difficult  task  was  to  pose  the  model. 
Swirski  noticed  that  the  girFs  heart  beat 
quicker,  that  her  breast  heaved  faster, 
and  her  cheeks  burned  as  though  she  was 
obliged    to  fight    against  an  instinctive 


144  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

bashfnlness,  with  an  uneasiness  similar 
to  that  which  causes  one  an  unknown 
pleasure. 

Therefore  he  spoke  to  himself:  "No! 
she  is  not  a  common  model — she  is  quite 
different — and  I  am  not  looking  at  her 
simply  as  a  painter  would/^  In  fact  he  was 
embarrassed,  and  his  fingers  trembled 
when  he  was  placing  her  head  on  a  cushion; 
but  wishing  to  get  rid  of  the  agitation  he 
began  to  talk  jokingly: 

"Keep  quiet  now!  That  way!  One 
must  do  something  for  art.  Now,  that^s 
well!  How  beautiful  your  profile  looljs  on 
the  red  ground!  If  you  could  see  it — but 
you  can^t!  Don't  smile — it's  forbidden. 
You  must  sleep!  I  am  going  to  paint 
immediately!'' 

And  he  began  to  work,  but  soon  stopped 
and  asked  Pani  Cervi  about  past  times. 
He  learned  from  her  that  Maria  had  had  a 
very  good  position  in  the  house  of  the 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  145 

Countess  Dziadzikiewich,  nee  Atrament, 
daughter  of  a  rich  manufacturer  from 
Lodz.  But  she  dismissed  her  on  learning 
that  Marians  father  and  grandfather  had 
served  in  the  Italian  army.  It  was  very 
hard  for  them,  because  they  both  wished 
very  much  that  Maria  might  become  a 
reader  with  some  lady  living  in  Nice  dur- 
ing the  winter,  as  then  they  would  not  be 
obliged  to  separate. 

In  Swirski  the  painter  awakened.  He 
frowned,  looked  over  the  handle  of  the 
brush  to  the  reclining  girl,  and  painted 
diligently.  From  time  to  time  he  put 
aside  the  palette  and  brushes,  approached 
the  model  and  corrected  the  position  of  her 
head.  Then  he  bent  over  her  more  than 
was  necessary  for  the  interest  of  art, 
and  when  he  felt  the  warmth  of  her  young 
body,  when  he  looked  on  her  long 
eyelashes  and  the  slightly  opened  mouth, 
a    shiver  ran    through    his    bones,     his 


146  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

fingers  trembled  neryously,  and  he  spoke 
to  himself  inwardly: 

"Keep  up,  old  man!  To  the  deuce! 
keep  up!^^ 

Surely  he  was  very  fond  of  her.  Her 
embarrassment,  her  blushes,  her  mod- 
esty, coupled  with  a  certain  virginal 
coquettishness,  made  him  happy.  All 
this  proved  to  him  that  she  did  not  con- 
sider him  an  old  man.  He  felt  that 
she  liked  him  also.  Her  grandfather 
surely  had  told  her  marvelous  things  about 
his  countrymen,  and  maybe  had  excited 
her  imagination. 

She  doubtless  thought  she  had  now  met 
one  of  them — not  a  common  one — honest, 
famous,  who  appeared  to  her  as  in  a  fairy 
tale,  at  the  moment  of  greatest  need, 
with  help  and  kindness.  How  could  she 
help  feeling  sympathy  for  him  and  looking 
at  him  with  gratitude? 

All  these   things  made  the   time  pass 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  147 

very  rapidly  to  Swirski,  and  he  did  not 
notice  that  it  was  ah^eady  noontime.  But 
at  twelve  o^clock  Panna  Maria  said  that 
they  must  go  back,  because  they  had  left 
grandpa  alone  and  that  they  must  serve 
him  his  luncheon.  Swirski  asked  them 
to  come  in  the  afternoon.  If  they  did  not 
wish  to  leave  the  old  man  alone  perhaps 
they  would  ask  some  one  to  stay  with 
him.  Perhaps  the  housekeeper,  or  her 
husband,  would  do  it.  There  is  the  ques- 
tion about  the  picture!  Two  sittings  a 
day  would  be  reciprocally  useful.  If 
there  should  be  a  necessity  for  paying 
somebody  to  watch  the  old  man,  he  would 
consider  it  a  favor  if  they  would  permit 
him  to  meet  the  expense,  because,  above 
all,  he  cared  for  the  picture. 

Two  sittings  a  day  for  Panna  Maria  was 
very  good  business,  and  considering  the 
misery  in  the  house  she  could  not  refuse 
it.     Therefore  they  agreed  to  come  again 


148  On  the  Snnny  Shore. 

at  two  o'clock.  Happy  Swirski  deter- 
mined to  conduct  them  home. 

At  the  door  of  the  house  the  house- 
keeper handed  to  Swirski  a  bunch  of  musk 
roses^  telling  him  that  they  were  brought 
by  two  lovely  boys,  and  that  they  wished 
to  enter  the  studio,  but  she  did  not  let 
them  in. 

Swirski  answered  that  she  acted  w^isely, 
and  he  gave  the  roses  to  Panna  Maria.  In 
a  few  moments  they  were  on  the  Prome- 
nade des  Anglais.  Nice  seemed  to  Swir- 
ski to  be  prettier  and  more  animated  than 
ever.  He  enjoyed  the  noise,  which  before 
had  always  made  him  angry.  They  met 
Wiadrowski  and  De  Sinten,  who  stopped, 
having  noticed  the  artist.  He  saluted 
them  and  passed,  but  while  passing  he 
noticed  that  De  Sinten  put  his  monocle 
to  his  eye,  looked  at  Panna  Maria  and  ex- 
claimed with  astonishment:  ^^ Prrristir 
They  both  followed  him  for  awhile,  but 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  149 

opposite  the  Jetee-Promenade  Swirski  took 
a  carriage  and  conducted  the  ladies  home. 
The  idea  came  to  him  to  invite  the 
whole  family  to  a  luncheon,  hut  he  thought 
there  would  be  a  bother  with  the  old  man, 
and  that,  considering  their  short  acquaint- 
ance, such  a  sudden  invitation  might  sur- 
prise Pani  Cervi.  Instead  of  that  he 
promised  himself  that  when  the  old 
man  could  get  some  one  to  take  care  of 
him,  then,  in  order  to  save  time,  he  would 
have  luncheon  served  in  the  studio.  After 
he  left  the  ladies  at  the  door  he  rushed 
to  the  first  hotel  he  could  see,  and  there 
he  swallowed  his  luncheon  without  know- 
ing what  he  was  eating.  Pani  Elzen, 
Eomulus  and  Kemus,  the  bunches  of  musk 
roses  passed  in  his  mind.  A  few  days  ago 
the  beautiful  widow  and  his  relation  to- 
ward her  were  questions  of  great  impor- 
tance to  him.  He  remembered  well  that 
inward  fight  he  had  undergone  on  the  sea 


150  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

coming  back  from  Ville  Franche.  "Now 
he  said  to  himself:  *^^It  doesn't  exist  for 
me  any  more  and  I  shall  not  think  of  it 
longer."  And  he  did  not  feel  the  slight- 
est uneasiness  or  smallest  remorse.  On 
the  contrar}^  it  seemed  to  him  that  some 
heavy  burden  had  fallen  from  his  shoulderSo 
All  his  thoughts  returned  to  Panna  Maria. 
She  was  in  his  eyes  and  in  his  head;  by 
the  strength  of  imagination  he  saw  her 
again  with  her  disheveled  hair,  closed 
eyelids,  and  when  he  thought  that  in  about 
an  hour  he  would  be  able  to  touch  her 
temples  with  his  fingers,  to  bend  again 
over  her,  and  feel  the  warmth  from  her 
young  body,  he  was  as  intoxicated  as 
if  he  had  drank  wine,  and  he  asked 
himself  for  the  second  time: 

^^Well,  what  will  become  of  you,  old 
man?'' 

But  when  he  came  back  to  his  studio  he 
found  Pani  Elzen's  telegram:  ^^I  am  ex- 


On  the  Sunn}^  Shore.  151 

pec  ting  jou  at  six  o'clock  for  dinner/' 
Swirski  crumpled  it  and  put  it  in  his 
pocket,  and  when  Pani  Cervi  came  with 
her  daughter  he  had  forgotten  about  it  so 
completely  that,  after  having  finished  his 
work,  toward  ^ve  o'clock,  he  began  to 
think  where  he  should  go  to  dine,  and  he 
was  mad  that  he  did  not  know  what  to  do 
in  the  evening. 


152  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  next  day  when  Mme.  Lageat 
brought  the  luncheon  for  three  people 
she  said  that  an  hour  before  those  two 
lovely  boys  were  there  again,  but  this  time 
with  an  elegantly  dressed  lady. 

^^The  young  lady  wanted  to  see  you, 
but  I  told  her  you  had  gone  to  Antibes.'^ 

^^To  Toulon!  To  Toulon r  answered 
the  painter  merrily. 

But  the  next  day  Mme.  Lageat  could 
not  communicate  Swirski^s  answer,  because 
only  a  letter  came.  Swirski  did  not  read 
it  at  all.  Instead,  it  happened  that  day 
that,  wishing  to  correct  Panna  Marians 
^^position,^^  he  put  his  hands  under  her 
shoulders  and  lifted  her  so  that  their  breasts 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  153 

touched  and  her  breath  bathed  his  face. 
She  became  very  much  confused^  and  he 
said  to  himself  that  if  such  a  moment 
would  only  last  long  enough  it  would  be 
worth  while  to  give  his  life  for  it. 

In  the  evening  he  spoke  to  himself  thus: 

^^  Your  senses  are  working  in  you  dif- 
ferently from  what  they  did  before,  because 
this  time  your  soul  is  with  them,  and  all 
because  she  is  a  child  who  in  this  pudri- 
dero  of  Nice  has  remained  pure.  It^s  not 
her  merit,  but  her  nature,  and  where 
can  a  person  find  a  similar  one?  This 
time  I  am  not  deceiving  myself  and  don^t 
persuade  myself — the  reality  speaks." 

And  it  seemed  to  him  that  he  had  a 
sw^et  dream. 

Two  days  afterward  he  received  another 
dispatch,  which  was  given  to  him  in  the 
presence  of  both  ladies. 

He  opened  it  rather  unwillingly,  glanced 
at  it,  and  his  face  expressed  his  confusion. 


154  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

'^  You  must  excuse  me^  ladies/^  he  said 
after  awhile,  ^'  I  have  received  such  news 
that  I  am  obliged  to  be  going  immediately/^ 

^'Ko thing  bad  at  least  ?^^  asked  Pani 
Cervi  solicitously. 

'^ISTo!  no!  But  it  may  be  that  I  will 
not  be  able  to  be  present  for  the  afternoon 
sitting.  At  any  rate  it  will  be  ended  to- 
day, and  to-morrow  I  will  have  peace. ^^ 

Having  said  this,  he  took  leave  of  them 
a  bit  feverishly  but  cordially,  and  a  few 
moments  afterward  he  was  sitting  in  the 
carriage  on  the  road  to  Monte  Carlo. 

When  he  passed  the  Jetee-Promenade  he 
pulled  out  the  dispatch  and  read  it  again. 
It  was  as  follows: 


^^I  am  waiting  for  you  this  afternoon. 
If  you  do  not  come  by  the  four-o^clock 
train  I  know  what  I  shall  do. 

E[e  was  afrm(J  of  this  signature^  for  hj 


I 

On  the  Sunny  Shore.  155 

was  under  the  influence  of  Kresowicz^s 
recent  suicide. 

^^  Who  knows/^  said  he  to  himself/^  to 
what  deed  it  may  lead  the  woman — if  not 
in  her  offended  love,  then  in  her  offended 
selfishness?  I  ought  not  to  act  as  I  have 
acted.  It  was  a  very  easy  matter  to  answer 
the  first  letter — and  to  break  with  her. 
One  mustn^t  play  with  anybody,  no  matter 
if  he  is  good  or  bad.  This  time  I  will 
break  with  her,  but  I  must  do  it  now,  and 
not  wait  till  four  o^clock.^' 

And  he  told  the  coachman  to  hasten. 
He  tried  to  persuade  himself  that  Pani 
Elzen  would  not  make  any  attempt  on  her 
life.  But  there  were  moments  when  he 
doubted  whether  her  monstrous  egotism, 
if  offended,  would  not  push  her  to  commit 
such  a  dreadful  deed. 

He  remembered  that  in  her  character 
there  was  a  certain  stubbornness,  a  certain 
determinatiort  and  courage.      It  is  tra§ 


156  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

that  the  thought  of  the  children  ought  to 
stop  her,  but  will  it  stop  her?  Does  she 
really  care  about  those  children?  And 
thinking  what  might  happen,  his  hair 
stood  up  on  end.  His  conscience  began 
to  trouble  him  again  and  a  new  fight 
commenced  within  him.  Panna  Maria's 
picture  passed  before  his  eyes  continually, 
arousing  bitter  sorrow. 

"It  is  true,'^  he  repeated  to  himself, 
"  that  I  am  going  to  break  my  engage- 
ment, but  I  feel  a  great  uneasiness.  What 
shall  I  do  if  this  bad,  vain  and  revengeful 
woman  should  say  to  me,  ^  You  or  mor- 
phine?''^ 

And  in  the  meanwhile,  aside  from  un- 
easiness and  uncertainty,  a  disgust  seized 
him,  because  it  seemed  to  him  that  the 
question  put  in  that  way  would  be  worthy 
of  some  false  heroine  belonging  to  "bad 
literature.'' 

But  what  would  it  be  if  she  should  put 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  157 

it  that  way?  In  society,  especially  in  Nice, 
there  are  many  women  who  belong  to 
^^  bad  literature/^ 

Amid  these  thoughts  and  amid  the 
clouds  of  gray  dust  he  arrived  at  last  at 
Monte  Carlo  and  told  the  coachman  to 
stop  at  the  Hotel  de  Paris.  But  before 
he  could  alight  he  perceived  on  the  green- 
sward Romulus  and  Remus  playing  ball. 
They  rushed  toward  him. 

^^Good-morning,  sivV 

''  Good-morning!^^ 

^^  Good-morning !  Is  your  mother  in  her 
room?^^ 

''  No.  Mam  an  went  on  horseback  with 
Monsieur  de  Sinten.^' 

There  was  a  silence. 

*^Ah!  mamma  went  with  Monsieur  de 
Sinten!^^  repeated  Swirski.     ^^  Very  well!'^ 

After  awhile  he  added: 

^^It's  true!  She  did  not  expect  me  till 
four  o'clock!^' 


158  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

Suddenly  he  began  to  laugh: 

^^The  drama  is  ended  by  a  farce.  I 
have  forgotten — we  are  on  the  Riviera! 
What  an  ass  I  am!^^ 

^^Will  you  wait  for  mamanf  asked 
Eomulus. 

^^No.  Boys,  listen:  Tell  your  mother 
that  I  came  to  bid  her  good-by,  and  that  I 
am  sorry  I  did  not  see  her,  because  to-day 
I  am  going  away." 

And  he  told  the  coachman  to  return  to 
Nice. 

In  the  evening  he  received  a  telegram 
with  only  one  word  in  it — ^^  Villain." 

When  he  read  it,  it  made  him  merry, 
because  it  was  not  signed  '^  Morphine." 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  159 


CHAPTER  X. 

Two  weeks  after  the  picture  represent- 
ing ^^ Sleep  and  Death''  was  finished 
Swirski  began  another,  which  he  called 
^^  Euterpe/'  But  he  could  not  work.  He 
complained  that  the  light  was  too  sharp, 
and,  instead  of  painting,  looked  at  the 
beautiful  Panna  Maria's  face,  as  if  he 
was  searching  for  Euterpe's  expression. 
He  looked  at  her  so  intently  that  under 
the  influence  of  his  looks  Panna  Maria 
blushed,  and  he  became  more  and  more 
uneasy.  Finally  one  morning  he  said 
suddenly,  with  strange,  changed  voice: 

^'  I  notice  one  thing — that  you  both  love 
Italy  very  much." 

"  We  and  grandpa  also!"  answered  Pan- 
na Maria. 


160  On  the  Sunny  Shore. 

"And  I  also.  Half  of  my  life  I  spent 
in  Florence  and  in  Eome.  There  the 
light  is  not  so  sharp,  and  one  may  paint 
all  day  long.  Yes!  Who  could  not  love 
Italy?  Do  you  know  about  what  I  am 
thinking  sometimes ?^^ 

Panna  Maria  bent  her  head  and  looked 
at  him  attentively,  as  was  her  custom 
when  sh'e  was  listening  to  him. 

"  I  think  that  every  man  has  two  father- 
lands: one  his  own,  and  the  other — Italy. 
Because  all  culture,  and  all  art,  and  all 
knowledge — everything  comes  from  there. 
Let  us  take  renaissance.  Truly!  Every- 
body is  a  child,  or  at  least  grandchild  of 
Italy/^ 

"  Yes/'  answered  Panna  Maria. 

He  spoke  further: 

"  I  don^t  remember  whether  I  told  you 
that  I  have  a  studio  in  Eome,  on  the  Via 
Marghetti,  and  since  the  light  has  become 
so  sharp  here,  I  long  for  my  studio. 


On  the  Sunny  Shore.  161 

How  lovely  it  would  be  if  we  could  go  to 
Eome!  Afterward  we  would  go  to  War- 
saw/^ 

''  It^s  impossible  \"  answered  Panna  Maria 
with  a  sad  smile. 

He  approached  her  suddenly,  and  tak- 
ing hold  of  both  her  hands,  spoke,  looking 
into  her  eyes  with  a  great  tenderness: 

^^  Yes,  it^s  possible,  my  dearest!  Don^t 
you  guess  how?" 

And  when  she  became  pale  he  pressed 
her  hands  to  his  breast  and  added: 

^^Give  me  yourself!" 


THE    END, 


i2mo^  clothy  $i,2S 

JASPER    FAIRFAX 

BY 
MARGRET    HOLMES 

Author  of  ** Chamber  Over  the  Gate,"  Etc.,  Etc. 


"  Will  be  read  with  interest." — Chicago  Record, 
**  One  of  those  typical  American  novels  in  con- 
ception and  development.*' — Boston  Courier, 
"  Of  interest  from  first  to  last.** — Public  Opinion, 
**  A  good,  strong,  skillfully  told  American  novel.'* 
— Chicago  News, 

"A  story  that  will  create  a  sensation." — Boston 
Globe, 

*  *  One  of  the  most  original,  able  and  remarkable 
of  recent  novels." — Minneapolis  Tribune, 

*'The  book   is  thrilling  and    dramatic." — New 
Orleans  Item, 

'*  Will  not  lack  for  admirers." — Boston  Times, 
**  Very  attractive  story." — Plain  Dealer, 
**  One  of  the  best  Southern  novels  we  have  ever 
read.  * ' — Atlanta  Star, 


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